Thousands of pounds of pork skin products packaged in South Carolina, as well as powdered milk, have been recalled due to possible salmonella contamination.
Pork Rinds & Snacks, LLC, a Spartanburg company, has recalled about 7,629 pounds of food sold throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Florida and Georgia.
The recalled products include:
• Nearly 400 pounds of 9/16 oz. plastic packages of Country Time Old Fashioned Fried Pork Skins Chicharrones Salsa & Sour Cream Flavor,
• More than 4,000 pounds of 9/16 oz packages of Wallace’s Old Fashioned Fried Pork Skins Flavored with Salsa & Sour Cream Seasoning Chicharrones, and
• More than 3,200 pounds of 1.5 oz plastic packages of Wallace’s Old Fashioned Fried Pork Skins Flavored with Salsa & Sour Cream Seasoning Chicharrones.
All of the recalled products have “best by” dates ranging from Jan. 5, 2017 to March 23, 2017. They will also have the establishment number EST. M00888 inside the USDA inspection mark.
“The problem was discovered when the company’s seasoning supplier notified the company that the seasoning mix contained milk powder recalled by Valley Milk Procucts,” the recall release from the FDA said. “Valley Milk Products recalled nonfat high heat milk powder and sweet cream buttermilk powder products on Dec. 9, 2016 due to potential salmonella contamination.”
The FDA has classified the situation as having a high health risk. No injuries had been reported as of Dec. 22.
Salmonella can cause diarrhea, cramping and fever within 12 to 72 hours of eating contaminated food, according to the FDA. Victims are typically sick for four to seven days, though in rare cases, it has been linked to arterial infections, arthritis and more.
“Most people recover without treatment,” the FDA said. “In some persons, however, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. Older adults, infants and persons with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop a severe illness. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact their health care provider.”
Any pork skin products that match the recall notice should be disposed of or returned to the store where they were purchased.
The FDA said that the Valley Milk powdered milk is in 50-pound bags not sold to customers, but is used in various other food products.
“None of the recalled finished product tested positive for salmonella but environmental sampling performed by the FDA was positive for salmonella,” the FDA said. “Valley Milk is currently investigating the cause for the positive environmental samples.”
For more information about the recall, contact plant manager Terry Morey at 864-573-5678.