Staying Fit
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently investigating more than 100 consumer complaints it has received regarding illnesses associated with consuming Lucky Charms cereal.
The agency did not elaborate on the nature of illnesses cited in the complaints because, it said, it is “not able to disclose specific patient information,” but an unaffiliated website (iwaspoisoned.com) that allows consumers to self-report food-related illnesses has received more than 4,500 accounts since late 2021 of people experiencing diarrhea, nausea and other gastrointestinal illness after eating Lucky Charms cereal.
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“The FDA takes seriously any reports of possible adulteration of a food that may also cause illnesses or injury,” an FDA spokesperson told AARP.
Complaints of a “less serious nature” or those that appear to be isolated incidents are monitored and taken into consideration during future inspections to help identify potential problems at a production plant, the FDA added.
General Mills, the manufacturer of Lucky Charms, told AARP, “Food safety is our top priority. We take the consumer concerns reported via a third-party website very seriously.”
Through its own internal investigations, General Mills has not found evidence of illness linked to eating Lucky Charms. However, it encourages consumers to share any concerns directly with the company to ensure they can be appropriately addressed. General Mills’ toll-free consumer hotline is 800-248-7310.
Cereal recalls
General Mills has not issued a recall for Lucky Charms cereal. The last time a major breakfast cereal was recalled for making people sick was in June 2018, when Kellogg’s Honey Smacks were recalled due to salmonella contamination that resulted in 135 reported illnesses and 34 hospitalizations.
Most people who experience diarrhea or vomiting recover with few long-term consequences. However, either diarrhea or vomiting can cause serious dehydration and loss of minerals if sick people are unable to drink enough fluids to replace what they have lost through illness.
Infants, young children and people who are unable to care for themselves, such as the disabled or elderly adults, are at greater risk of dehydration from loss of fluids. Those who are immunocompromised are also at risk for dehydration because they may experience more vomiting or diarrhea, requiring treatment at a hospital, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
