Unfortunately for Twinkie lovers everywhere, a seasonal version of Hostess Twinkies joined a growing list of foods on a recall list because of potential Salmonella contamination. The source of the contamination? The Valley Milk plant in Strasburg, VA. The recall itself began last November when, at the request of the FDA, “armed U.S. Marshals raided the plant and seized 4 million pounds of powdered milk and powdered buttermilk” worth about $4 million. As a result, Valley Milk Products issued a recall on December 9 that included “3.1 million pounds of powdered milk products produced and sold in the period from Dec. 5, 2015, through July 10, 2016.”
How was the salmonella detected, though? Well, the FDA recently filed a report in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia the detailed out how “environmental swabs collected at the production facility returned positive results for Salmonella.” Also found during an inspection were “internal records at Valley Milk that showed the company itself had found Salmonella in the facility and in finished products.”
So far the recall has impacted an estimated 20 other companies, and everything from potato chips and pudding mix to frozen cream puffs and macaroni and cheese have been recalled. Now, season Hostess Twinkies have joined the list. The nationwide recall of the sugary treat was issued by Hostess Brands LLC out of Kansas City, MO and only impacts the company’s Holiday White Peppermint Twinkies. The recall was issued because of the recent recall of the confectionary coating used on the Twinkies created by Blommer Chocolate Co.
According to reports, “the confectionary coating contains milk powder ingredients recalled by Valley Milk Products LLC due to a concern of Salmonella contamination. No illnesses have been reported to date, and none of the confectionary coating sampled has tested positive for Salmonella. However, Hostess is initiating this voluntary recall out of an abundance of caution.”
One might think that this Twinkie recall is no big deal because the holidays are over. Who would still be buying the treats? Well, Twinkies have an exceptionally long shelf life, so the concern is that consumers might still “have the recalled snack cakes in their homes.” However, there is a simple way to identify whether or not you have a recalled snack cake in your cupboards. Recalled peppermint Twinkies are sold in nine-packs with the UPC number 888109111571. Additionally, many of the recalled Twinkies were distributed to “mass merchandisers, grocery stores, distributors, dollar and discount stores, and convenience stores” throughout the U.S.
Consumers who discover that they do in fact have the recalled product in their home should refrain from eating it and “return it to the place of purchase for a refund, according to the recall notice. Any questions can be directed to 800-483-7253 Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central time.” Consumers who have consumed the recalled Twinkies and are experiencing symptoms of Salmonella infections should seek medical attention immediately.
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