A possible Listeria contamination in sunflower seeds prompted Kashi Co., the North County-based maker of breakfast foods and snacks, to recall certain granola bars sold in the continental United States.
According to Kashi, sunflower seeds distributed by supplier SunOpta are potentially contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.
No illnesses linked to the products have been reported, according to the Solana Beach company.
The voluntary recall affects Kashi Trail Mix Chewy Granola Bars and Bear Naked Soft Baked Granola, Cinnamon + Sunflower Butter.
Kashi said the trail mix bars being recalled are 7.4 ounces with a UPC code of 18627 03000 and best used by dates of Jan. 4-9, 2017.
The recalled Bear Naked brands are 11 ounces, with a UPC code of 84623 10163 and best used by dates of Jan. 10-11, 2017; and 26 ounces, with a UPC code of 84623 10173 and best used by dates of Dec. 24-25, 2016, and Jan. 11-13, 2017.
Most healthy people who contract Listeria suffer high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea for short periods of time, but infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women, according to Kashi.
No other Kashi or Bear Naked products are affected by the recall.
Kashi said customers who have purchased recalled products should discard them and contact the company for a refund. Additional information is available online at Kashi.com or by calling the company's consumer hotline at (877) 747-2467 on weekdays between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. Pacific time.
