Gerber, one of the most trusted baby food manufacturers in the world, has voluntarily recalled thousands of boxes of Organic Whole Grain Rice and Organic Whole Grain Oatmeal cereals after it was discovered that the products posed a choking hazard to children. Apparently, the cereal contains clumps that when mixed with water or milk do not dissolve and can cause babies to choke. The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) said that it was aware of Gerber’s actions, and agreed with the recall.
New Jersey-based Gerber, which controls 79-percent of the US baby food market, said on Monday that the cereals were sold throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. The company said it was confident that only a “limited” amount of cereal had the clumping problem. While Gerber has had some complaints of choking caused by the cereal, no injuries have been reported.
Gerber is recalling 306,760 packages of Organic Whole Grain Rice Cereal and 167,724 boxes of Organic Whole Grain Oatmeal. All product codes are being recalled. The rice cereal is sold in an 8-ounce box and bears the UPC code 15000 12504. The oatmeal also comes in an 8-ounce box, and its UPC code is 15000 12502.
Gerber has advised consumers not to use the cereal. Rather they can call the company’s Parents’ Resource Center at 800-443-7237 or 231-928-3000 for information on returning the product for a refund.
The Gerber cereal is one of several children’s foods recalled this year. Just last month, the popular vegetarian snack Veggie Booty was recalled after more than 50 people became sick with Salmonella that was linked to the treat. And in February, ConAgra Foods recalled thousands of jars of Peter Pan and Great Value brand Peanut Butter for Salmonella contamination. The peanut butter was linked to thousands of cases of Salmonella poisoning nationwide.
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