Protein Bars Recalled Due to E. coli Contamination Risk

Check your cabinets! Thousands of protein bars have been pulled from store shelves after it was discovered the snack could potentially make consumers sick. Built Brands, LLC. on June 10 issued a recall of its Banana Cream Pie Puffs protein bar after it was realized the bars may be contaminated with E. coli, which has the potential to cause serious illness.

The recall, posted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s website on June 14, affects 4,196 individual bars of the company's Banana Cream Pie Puffs protein bars. The specific bars affected by the recall were sold in 40-gram packages marked with lot # D22151011 on the outside of the wrapper. Per the notice, the recalled product was distributed nationwide to 1,049 potential customers through mail orders. Those orders would have been received by customers after June 6.

Built Brands, LLC. issued the recall after routine testing conducted by an accredited third-party laboratory at the request of Built Brands detected the presence of Escherichia coli. At this time, the exact strain has yet to be determined. Escherichia coli, commonly abbreviated as E. coli, are bacteria found in the environment, foods, and intestines of people and animals. While some strains are harmless, others can make people sick, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Symptoms include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting. Some people may also experience a fever. Symptoms can appear three to four days after exposure to contaminated foods, though the CDC notes illnesses can start anywhere from 1 to 10 days after exposure.

The FDA said no illnesses have been reported to date in connection with the recalled products. The notice also informed consumers that "testing results for additional products made by Built Brands indicate other similar products are not affected and the contamination was an isolated incident, likely resulting from a failure to follow GMP practices."

Due to the risk E. coli contamination poses, consumers who purchased the recalled Built Brands, LLC. Banana Cream Pie Puffs protein bars are advised not to eat them. Consumers are instead urged to contact Built Brands, LLC. for a full refund or replacement. The company can be contacted at questions@built.com. Those with further questions regarding the recall can contact the company at questions@built.com or by phone at 1-801- 845-2991 between 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. MST, Monday through Friday.

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