Little Debbie peanut butter snack recalled

COLLEGEDALE, Tenn., Jan. 19 (UPI) -- Two types of peanut butter sandwich crackers have been recalled because the products have the potential to be contaminated with salmonella, U.S. officials say.

Also Monday, Kellogg Co. said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has confirmed Salmonella was found in one package of Austin Quality Foods Tasty Crackers with Peanut Butter -- a product that Kellogg had previously recalled.

"We apologize to our consumers and customers, and we can't emphasize enough our disappointment and deep regret about this situation," said David Mackay, Kellogg president and chief executive officer.

The company said the Salmonella was found "as part of the FDA's ongoing investigation" of peanut paste supplier Peanut Corp. of America.

"The food industry upholds certain operating standards and we are proud that we exceed these standards in our facilities," Mackay said. "Events of the last week suggest there was a breach in this supplier's process that is unacceptable to Kellogg, our customers and our consumers."

The two sandwich crackers recalled Monday are Little Debbie Peanut Butter Toasty sandwich crackers and Little Debbie Peanut Butter Cheese sandwich crackers, made by McKee Foods Corp. of Collegedale, Tenn., the FDA said Monday. No other Little Debbie products are involved in this recall, the agency said.

The sandwich cracker products were manufactured for McKee Foods by Kellogg Co., which on Jan. 14 announced a precautionary hold on several of its peanut butter sandwich crackers while FDA and other authorities investigated PCA.

McKee Foods followed that action with this voluntary withdrawal of the two Little Debbie peanut butter sandwich crackers. PCA has expanded its earlier recall to include peanut paste and peanut butter, prompting Kellogg to announce a recall of certain cookie and cracker products, health officials said.