Duncan Hines is Recalling Four Popular Cake Mixes Over Salmonella Concerns

Consumers often associate bacterial contamination of food with meats, poultry, and produce, but processed foods are no exception. In June, Honey Smacks cereal was implicated in a salmonella outbreak across the United States. This week, the Food and Drug Administration announced a voluntary recall of several popular Duncan Hines cake mixes after linking a box of their Classic White flavor to a salmonella outbreak in an unspecified area or areas of the country.

The FDA referenced a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) finding of a positive DNA fingerprint for salmonella in a box of the mix that matches the DNA of five reported salmonella cases, leading investigators to conclude the Duncan Hines mix is potentially the source of the infection. The five individuals struck by the illness all reported eating the cake mix before developing symptoms.

Conagra, which manufactures the mix, is recalling Classic White as well as three other flavors made during the same period of time: Classic Butter Golden, Signature Confetti, and Classic Yellow.

While salmonella never makes for a festive addition to baked goods, Conagra noted in a press release that the sickened individuals could have eaten some of the batter raw, exposing them to bacteria that would have been destroyed during the cooking process.

Salmonella usually prompts diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain. Some individuals may require antibiotics or hospitalization. The FDA, CDC, and Conagra are all urging consumers to discard the mixes or return them to stores for a refund.