Palmer Candy items recalled over salmonella risk: What to know

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FILE - Chocolate dipped pretzels. Getty Images

A variety of confectionary items sold at big-box stores around the country are part of a recall that has recently been reclassified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a Class I recall, the most serious of its kind.

The candy items come from Palmer Candy Company, based in Sioux City, Iowa.

Here is what to know about the recall:

Palmer Candy Company recall

Palmer Candy Company first announced the recall of confectionary items in May 2024 over the potential to be contaminated with salmonella.

The company said it was notified by its liquid coating supplier that there was a potential for contamination with salmonella from an ingredient that was potentially contaminated from one of their suppliers.

The affected items were distributed to big-box retail stores nationwide including Walmart, HyVee, Target and Dollar General, and sold under the brand names:

Freshness Guaranteed
Palmer
Sweet Smiles
Snackin’ With The Crew
Casey’s
Sconza Chocolates
Favorite Day Bakery
Sunny Select
Urge!
Kwik Trip Inc.

The recalled confectionary items included various pretzels, cookies and "snack mixes" that were sold in a variety of retail packaging like bags, pouches and tubs.

FDA Class I recall

FOX Business reported that on Aug. 6, the FDA reclassified Palmer Candy Company’s recall to a Class I recall, indicating a higher risk than previously thought.

The FDA defines a Class I recall as "a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death."

What is salmonella poisoning?

What is salmonella infection?

People with salmonella infection often suffer diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps after getting in contact with infected animals, their feces, or their environment or eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water.

Salmonella are bacteria that make people sick.

Healthy persons infected with salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, according to the FDA.

In rare circumstances, infection with salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.