The unlucky streak continues as hundreds more claim they got sick after digging into a bowl of Lucky charms cereal. For more than a month, people have been reporting that the “magically delicious” cereal has caused them gastrointestinal problems, including nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and other symptoms.
At the beginning of April, some 140 reports began to accumulate and, in the middle of the month, more than 200 people claimed to have become ill. As of April 28, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) indicated that they had 446 cases of illness linked to the iconic breakfast food. Now that number is up to 500 complaints but no recall has been issued that would take it off shelves and potentially prevent others from getting sick.
An FDA representative told Eat This, Not That! in an April 28 email that he received “complaints about illnesses associated with Lucky Charms cereal and is currently investigating these complaints.” However, in response to the numbers in the most recent report, the FDA says it had “no additional details or updates to provide at this time.”
As of May 5, more 500 customer complaints have been issued through the FDA CFSAN Adverse Event Notification System. Others published in iwaspoisoned.comwhere thousands of people have told their stories of illnesses related to the product.
“My 5-year-old daughter has symptoms of food poisoning” said a commenter on the website on May 5. “She eats Lucky Charms a couple of mornings every week and she’s the only one in our family who does. This is the second time in two weeks that she’s gotten sick…and we just made the cereal connection.”
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As to why the cereal hasn’t yet been pulled from the market, there is some speculation, though the FDA has declined to give a firm answer. To date, General Mills, the brand behind Lucky Charms, has said it is aware of the reports but has found no evidence of illness linked to the cereal after an internal investigation.
In a response to a complaint on Twitter on April 20, the company said: “We are very sorry to hear this and hope you are both well now. There are no active recalls for this product. We strongly believe that it is our responsibility to investigate any concerns and resolve them.” we’ve done at all of our Lucky Charms manufacturing facilities.
According Toby AmidorMS, RD, CDN, FAND, award-winning nutrition expert and Wall Street Journal best selling author of Diabetes Create Your Plate Meal Prep Cookbookand member of the Eat this, not that! board of medical expertsDue to the fact that there has not yet been concrete data linking the disease to the cereal, an official statement will not be published.
“As such, you can’t make a withdrawal until that happens,” says Amidor.
Until then, Amidor urges customers to avoid the cereal. “As of now, I would recommend against buying Lucky Charms cereal. If you find you have gastrointestinal symptoms after consuming the cereal, see your doctor and report it,” he says, adding that you should: “Keep the box as samples.” [which] It can also help pinpoint the problem.”
Whether you have a bag of this cereal in your kitchen or not, this room can be a breeding ground for bacteria. Here Amidor shares his two-step method for cleaning and sanitizing surfaces to help prevent foodborne illness..
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amber lake
Amber Lake is a staff writer for Eat This, Not That! and she has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from UNF in Jacksonville, Florida. read more
