Kellogg issues massive Honey Smacks recall over Salmonella risk

The risk of Salmonella contamination strikes again, this time it’s a well-known breakfast cereal.

Kellogg is recalling an estimated 1.3 million cases of its Honey Smacks cereal involving more than 30 states.

It is the latest case of U.S. food products possibly tainted by the illness-causing bacteria.

The company said the affected products had use by dates of June 14, 2018 through June 14, 2019.

The voluntary recall involves its 15.3 ounce and 23 oz. Honey Smacks packages.

No other Kellogg products are impacted by the recall, the company said.

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration said it worked with Kellogg to issue the recall after preliminary evidence linked the product to more than 60 illnesses, according to Reuters.

The U.S. health regulator also said it is inspecting the facility that manufactures Honey Smacks.

Kellogg earlier on Thursday said it launched an investigation with the third-party manufacturer that produces the cereal immediately after being contacted regarding reports of illnesses.

It’s the latest case where U.S. food is linked to a Salmonella outbreak.

The agency first issued a warning last Friday, alerting people that it is investigating more than 124 salmonella infections involving contact with live poultry in backyard flocks.

As of June 1, the CDC says, more than 21 people have been hospitalized in 36 states due to the bacterial disease. Of those, 31% have been children under the age of 5, with an alarming 74% admitting they have had contact with either chicks or ducklings a week prior to getting ill. However, no deaths have been reported.

Then four days later, the CDC had to issue another salmonella warning, this time involving precut melons, including fresh-cut watermelons, honeydew and cantaloupes. More than 60 people have reportedly been infected by the strain and 31 have been hospitalized, but no deaths have been reported.

They had been distributed to stores operated by Costco Wholesale, Kroger, Walmart and Amazon.com's Whole Foods.

It causes an estimated 1.2 million illnesses, 23,000 hospitalizations and 450 deaths in the United States each year, according to the CDC.