The Palmer Candy Recall Got So Much Worse

As of August 6, 2024, the FDA has designated the Palmer Candy recall Class I . The Palmer Candy recall began on May 5, when the FDA announced that the company's "White Coated Confectionary Items" were potentially contaminated with salmonella. An FDA Class I recall is the agency's most significant, meaning the product has serious health consequences or risk of death. The urgency of this recall reflects the dangers of salmonella infection and the necessity to avoid and return any "White Coated" Palmer Candy products.

The recalled products include Caramel Candy Swirls, Classic Yogurt Pretzels, Cookies & Cream Yummy Chow, Enrobed Pretzel Rods, Frosted Pretzels, Munchy Medley, Patriotic Pretzels, Peanut Butter Snack Mix, and others. They are packaged in tubs, pouches, and bags, and come in various-sized packaging. In its recall announcement, the FDA issued a full list of the recalled products. The confectionery items were distributed nationwide to Walmart, HyVee, Target, and Dollar General retail stores and wholesalers. States affected by the recall include Alabama, California, Florida, Texas, and Virginia, to name a few.

The "White Coated Confectionary Items" recall began when Palmer Candy was notified by its liquid coating supplier of possible salmonella contamination due to a potentially affected ingredient from one of its suppliers. The exact source is still under investigation by the FDA, and it is unknown how soon the recall can be terminated.

To avoid food poisoning, it's best to stay aware of FDA recalls such as this one. Thankfully, there have been no reported illnesses in connection to the Palmer Candy recall. Salmonella is a bacteria that can cause diarrheal illness, nausea, fever, and stomach pain in healthy people. Symptoms can begin anywhere between six hours and six days after infection. Most people recover on their own, but some require antibiotics and hospitalization. A salmonella infection can be much more severe in infants, young children, elderly people, and people with weakened immune systems. In the most rare and severe cases, salmonella can enter the bloodstream and cause arterial infections, endocarditis, and arthritis. 

Those who have purchased a "White Coated Confectionary Item" are encouraged to return it for a full refund. This comes as one of the biggest food recalls of 2024, which have included recalls of Trader Joe's cashews for salmonella and cheese products from Rizo-López Foods for  listeria.