SunChips fans will need to think twice before reaching their hands into that bag. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced last month that Frito-Lay, a subsidiary of PepsiCo, Inc., recalled two of its most popular snacks – SunChips and Munchies – in Canada due to a possible risk of salmonella contamination.
Frito Lay issued the recall on May 14 after a seasoning supplier notified the company that an ingredient supplied to it by a third party “was potentially contaminated with salmonella,” the bacterium responsible for causing salmonellosis, a common foodborne illness. Symptoms of salmonellosis include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever, and typically occur within 12 to 72 hours of consumption, per the Mayo Clinic, which notes that while “most healthy people recover within a few days to a week without specific treatment,” the infection can spread from the intestines to the bloodstream, requiring the individual to be hospitalized. Young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of developing a more serious infection.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Although “no salmonella was found in the seasoning supplied to Frito Lay Canada,” Frito Lay “decided to recall these products out of an abundance of caution.” The CFIA gave the recall a Class 2 classification, indicating that “there is a moderate risk that consuming the food may lead to short-term or non-life threatening health problems.”
The recall includes all sizes of SunChips Harvest Cheddar Flavour Multigrain Snacks and Munchies Original Snack Mix, as well as carious multi-packs of the chips and a Frito Lay Variety Packs Cheesy Mix. No other flavors of SunChips or Munchies are impacted. The recalled products have use by dates between July 16 and August 13, 2024. The full list of recalled products, including sizes and UPC codes, can be found here.
Due to the health risks associated with consumption of products possibly contaminated with salmonella, Canadian health officials and Frito Lay advised that the recalled products should not be consumed, sold, served, or distributed. Frito Lay Canada said it is “working closely with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to ensure the recalled products are removed from the marketplace.”
