The Honey Smacks Recall That Shook Cereal Fans Across The US

Included in our list of the biggest food recalls of 2018, Kellogg's Honey Smacks cereal was once the subject of a massive recall that affected approximately 135 consumers spread out over 36 states. The recalled cereal also made its way outside the contiguous U.S. and was circulated in limited amounts to Guatemala, the Caribbean, Guam, Mexico, Tahiti, Costa Rica, and the Northern Mariana Islands. According to the FDA, reports of consumer illness linked to the cereal spurred on an investigation, which turned up Salmonella bacteria at the third-party manufacturing plant where Honey Smacks were made.

Salmonellosis frequently results from the consumption of contaminated raw food (like cookie dough, for example), but the bacterial infection can also be caused by surface contamination and improper food handling. In healthy people, symptoms of salmonellosis are often similar to the common stomach flu.

However, older adults, young children, pregnant people, and anyone with a compromised immune system face a chance of more serious, potentially life-threatening complications. Of those affected by the Honey Smacks Salmonella outbreak, 34 required hospitalization, but fortunately, no loss of life was reported.

The issues that lead to food recalls often involve errors and oversights that aren't immediately caught by manufacturing staff. For example, a recall of Ragù pasta sauce in 2019 occurred after the product was discovered to contain plastic pieces, which likely resulted from a manufacturing defect or error.

The Kellogg Honey Smacks recall is unique in that Kerry, the manufacturing company producing the cereal on behalf of Kellogg, was aware of positive Salmonella tests but took no action to address the issue. Instead, Ravi Kumar Chermala, Kerry's director of quality assurance at the time, worked to keep Kellogg in the dark regarding the contamination and even changed the internal monitoring process to prevent more positive test results.

Because of these actions, Kerry received a misdemeanor charge of distributing adulterated cereal and was fined $19.228 million. Chermala was charged with three misdemeanor counts for the same crime, to which he pled guilty. However, it's not clear whether or not Chermala was sentenced, and if so, what kind of sentence he received. Carelessness in the food manufacturing industry can easily lead to major problems, but thanks to the quick actions of companies like Kellogg and overseeing federal agencies, consumers can rest assured that their food should be safe.