Frozen fruit bars sold at NC stores may contain glass, prompting massive recall
Check your freezers. Outshine Fruit Bars sold at North Carolina stores and nationwide are being recalled because they may contain something extra: glass.
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Parent company Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream issued a voluntary recall on Tuesday, Aug. 18, citing “possible foreign material contamination,” according to a notice posted on the FDA’s website.
Dreyer’s also owns popular brands including Häagen-Dazs, Drumstick, Edy’s, Skinny Cow and OREO (frozen treats).
“The safety, quality, and integrity of our products remain our highest priority,” the company said in a statement. “We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this action may cause our consumers and retail customers.”
Here’s what to know and how to stay safe:
The recalled Outshine desserts include 6-count (2.5 ounce) packages of strawberry, watermelon, grape, tangerine and black cherry fruit bars, the online notice says.
Outshine Fruit Bar 24-count (2.5 ounce) variety packs were also affected. Specific batch codes are listed at fda.gov.
The treats line the freezer aisle at major grocery chains including Publix, Harris Teeter, Walmart and Food Lion, according to an online product finder on Outshine’s website.
Dreyer’s said the recall was issued “out of an abundance of caution” after a consumer reported finding glass in one of the products. So far, no injuries or illnesses have been reported, the company said.
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Customers are advised to throw the affected fruit bars away, or return them to the store where they were purchased for a full refund.
Smaller pieces likely won’t cause symptoms, but bigger pieces with sharp edges run the risk of damaging the throat, stomach and intestines, according to the National Capital Poison Center.
“If there are cuts in these areas, you can experience pain in your chest or abdomen and see blood in your stool,” the center said. “If the damage is significant, you may develop a fever, chills, and bloated or swollen abdomen.”
That’s when it’s time to seek immediate medical attention, experts say.
Jalapeño peppers tied to an ongoing salmonella outbreak have joined a growing list of recalled produce deemed unsafe to eat. As of Aug. 14, there were 345 salmonella cases and 36 hospitalizations in 27 states, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Earlier this month, Publix expanded its recall of frozen organic fruit linked to a multi-state outbreak of E. coli O145, The Charlotte Observer reported.
That particular strain is known to produce Shiga toxin, which can lead to severe stomach illness and a life-threatening kidney condition called hemolytic uremic syndrome.
Shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Fresh Foods remains at the center of a separate recall after hundreds were sickened with cyclospora, a parasite known to cause explosive diarrhea. Two people in Michigan recently died in the outbreak as cases top more than 18,000 nationwide, the Associated Press reported.
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Portions of this story previously appeared in The Charlotte Observer.
