MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Cheerios lovers, there’s a massive recall on the iconic cereal, and it could affect you.
General Mills has recalled 1.8 million boxes of Cheerios, including regular and Honey Nut, because they could put people with wheat allergies and Celiac disease at risk.
According to an executive with General Mills, the voluntary recall was issued after wheat contaminated some gluten-free cereals at a plant in California back in July. Products containing wheat can cause illness or severe reactions to people with wheat allergies or Celiac disease.
“It’s an immune disorder where a person can’t process gluten and a fancy word for gluten is going to be your wheat products, also your rye, so like rye bread and barley,” Baptist Hospital Dietitian Christy Davis said.
Davis said oats were included, too.
WREG spoke to several shoppers who were surprised by the recall, including David Edwards.
“I couldn’t believe they actually had a recall on Cheerios,” Edwards said. “I was a little bit surprised about it because that brand, I mean Cheerios, it goes way back.”
Edwards, who is a teacher, said his school often gives Cheerios to students as a snack.
“I also have a student that I teach, she’s allergic to some of the ingredients in the Cheerios. So what would happen if she ate the Cheerios?” he asked.
The recall only affects you if you have some kind of wheat allergy.
Cheerios boxes are still on shelves at stores here in the Mid-South. A spokesperson for Kroger said the recall does not affect their stores in our area.
General Mills said they were now putting additional flour-handling protocols in place at all of their facilities to make sure the contamination doesn’t happen again.
Consumers who would like to request refunds or have further questions can contact General Mills Consumer Services at 1-800-775-8370.