(NEXSTAR) – More than 100 candy and chocolate products made by Strauss Israel and sold in the United States are now under recall, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
Salmonella was found in both the production line and in liquid chocolate at the Israeli factory that made the affected items, according to the FDA news release.
The FDA warns that the items could be infected with salmonella, which can cause diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. In infants, people 65 or older and people with weakened immune systems, salmonella may cause serious illness or even death.
Strauss Israel said the voluntary recall involves products sold in the kosher market across the country under the brand name Elite. The sweets were primarily distributed in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, California and Florida, but they were also sold straight to consumers via online vendors such as Amazon.com, Fresh Direct, Passover.com and all Retailer Online Sites.
The recall covers all U.S. product codes for the items, which include Elite Chocolate, Cakes, Wafers, Energy Grain Snacks, Energy Chocolate Rice Cakes, Chewing Gum and Toffee Candies.
Israeli health officials released a scathing report Sunday that accused the Strauss Group of a number of oversights and failures that may have contributed to the salmonella spread, according to the Times of Israel.
Among several issues that may have contributed to the salmonella danger, investigators said there had been an intrusion of pigeons into the facility, according to The Jerusalem Post. Strauss Israel acknowledged that the birds did enter a liquid chocolate factory toward the end of March, but said in a statement on their website that the production line itself wasn’t exposed and someone was “immediately” called to remove the pigeons. According to the report, no tests were done that might have linked bird droppings to the salmonella contamination.
The report also alleged the following infractions: making chocolate while the facility was undergoing maintenance, failing to employ a food safety manager after replacing the quality-control team last year and not following milk thawing and storage guidelines that help prevent salmonella contamination.
“We’ve never dealt with an event like this and it’s the biggest recall in Strauss history,” Strauss Group chairperson Ofra Strauss said at a press conference on April 28, the Times of Israel reports. “We will only open the factory when we are sure that everything is safe. I am the chairperson of the company and have been part of all the decisions over the past week. We have all been working hard throughout this week.”
As of Sunday, there were 21 possible salmonella cases in Israel that had links to Strauss Israel, according to the Health Ministry. No illnesses had been reported in the U.S. as of publishing time, the FDA reports.
See a full list of the recalled items below:
| KayCo’s Item Number | Product Description | UPC | Size of Package |
|---|---|---|---|
| 161454 | ELITE HAZELNUT & ALMOND MILK CHOCOLATE BAR | 77245110825 | 100 g |
| 161406 | ELITE MILK CHOCOLATE BAR WITH STRAWBERRY CREAM | 815871010283 | 100 g |
| 161405 | ELITE POPPING ROCKS MILK CHOCOLATE BAR | 815871010337 | 100/90 g |
| 161429 | ELITE WHITE CHOCOLATE BAR | 815871011471 | 100 g |
| 161457 | ELITE WHITE CHOCOLATE BAR | 815871012799 | |
| 161453 | ELITE MILK CHOCOLATE WITH BERRY FLAVOR TRUFFLE CREAM BAR | 815871011105 | 100 g |
| 870958 | ELITE BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE BAR (P) SPECIAL ORDER | 7290000170077 | 100 g |
| 161401 | ELITE BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE BAR | 77245109973 | |
| 161451 | ELITE BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE BAR | 77245107214 | |
| 161400 | ELITE MILK CHOCOLATE BAR | 77245109966 | 100 g |
| 161450 | ELITE MILK CHOCOLATE BAR | 77245107146 | |
| 870957 | ELITE MILK CHOCOLATE BAR (P) SPECIAL ORDER | 7290000170053 | |
| 161409 | ELITE MILK CHOCOLATE WITH PRALINE CREAM | 815871015028 | 100 g |
| 161412 | ELITE MILK CHOCOLATE WITH HAZELNUT PIECES | 815871015035 | 100 g |
| 161413 | ELITE AERATED MILK CHOCOLATE | 815871015431 | 90 g |
| 161414 | ELITE MIX CHOCOLATE WITH WAFER ROLLS AND COCONUT | 815871015455 | 95 g |
| 161416 | ELITE MIX CHOCOLATE WITH COOKIES AND CARAMELIZED HAZELNUTS | 815871015462 | 95 g |
| 161410 | ELITE WHITE & MILK CHOCOLATE BAR WITH STRAWBERRY CREAM | 815871014502 | 100 g |
| 161404 | ELITE MILK CHOCOLATE BAR WITH LENTILS | 815871010252 | 100 g |
| 161411 | ELITE WHITE CHOCOLATE WITH COOKIE PIECES | 815871015707 | 100 g |
| 161405 | ELITE POPPING ROCKS MILK CHOCOLATE BAR | 815871010337 | 95 g |
| 161445 | ELITE EXTRA CREAMY MILK CHOCOLATE WITH VANILLA & COOKIES | 815871012294 | 95 g |
| 161446 | ELITE EXTRA CREAMY MILK CHOCOLATE WITH STRAWBERRY & COOKIES | 815871012287 | 95 g |
| 161443 | ELITE EXTRA CREAMY MILK CHOCOLATE | 815871012317 | 90g |
| 161434 | ELITE CHOCOLATE WITH STRAWBERRY CREAM | 815871012522 | 50 g |
| 161460 | ELITE COLLECTION DARK CHOCOLATE 70% | 815871011860 | 100 g |
| 161461 | ELITE COLLECTION DARK CHOCOLATE 85% | 815871011853 | |
| 161408 | ELITE BLONDY WITH HAZELNUT CREAM | 815871015011 | 100 g / 3.5 oz |
| 161407 | ELITE BLONDY WITH MILK CREAM | 815871015004 | 100 g / 3.5 oz |
| 160420 | ELITE BIG BITE PESEK ZMAN | 815871010184 | 55 g |
| 160422 | ELITE 45g PESEK ZMAN | 815871010146 | 45 g |
| 160306 | ELITE MINI PESEK ZMAN CHOCOLATE BAR | 77245108310 | 400 g |
| 160416 | ELITE PESEK ZMAN WAFER ROLL | 815871011495 | 40 g |
| 160533 | ELITE PESEK ZMAN ULTIMATE HAZELNUT CREAM | 815871015301 | 45 g |
| 160534 | ELITE PESEK ZMAN ULTIMATE COFFEE CREAM | 815871015318 | 35g |
| 160357 | ELITE MINI PESEK ZMAN | 815871015233 | 400 g |
| 160429 | ELITE PESEK ZMAN PLAY BALL | 815871015349 | 45 g |
| 160595 | ELITE BLONDY PESEK ZMAN | 815871014243 | 45 g |
| 160317 | ELITE MINI PESEK ZMAN MIX | 815871015899 | 400 g |
| 160305 | ELITE MINI MEKUPELET KP | 77245109058 | 400 g |
| 160354 | ELITE MILK CHOCOLATE LOG | 77245101755 | 25 g |
| 160355 | MINI CARAMEL | 815871011464 | 190 g |
| 160358 | ELITE MINI COCONUT CREAM CHOCOLATE BARS | 815871014977 | 200 g |
| 160359 | ELITE MINI NUTTY CREAM CHOCOLATE BARS | 815871014984 | 200 g |
| 160463 | ELITE NUTTY CREAM CHOCOLATE BAR | 815871014656 | 45 g |
| 160310 | ELITE MINI SNAP CHOCOLATE BAR | 77245108303 | 400 g |
| 160449 | ELITE SNAP BAR | 815871013307 | 45 g |
| 160522 | ELITE WHITE SNAP BAR | 815871011747 | 45 g |
| 160323 | Mini Snap no added Sugar family Bag | 815871016865 | 220 g |
| 160308 | ELITE TAAMI BAR | 815871010153 | 40 g |
| 160316 | ELITE WHITE TAAMI BAR | 815871015325 | 40 g |
| 160448 | ELITE CRUNCH MILK CHOCOLATE & CREAM BISCUIT | 815871012256 | 100 g |
| 160318 | ELITE MINI CHOCOLATE BISCUIT CRUNCH | 815871013109 | 20g |
| 160590 | ELITE SWEET @ MIDNIGHT MILK CHOCOLATE | 815871014229 | 200 g |
| 160591 | ELITE SWEET @ MIDNIGHT WHITE CHOCOLATE | 815871014236 | 200 g |
| 160412 | ELITE SHTIX WITH CREAM AND POPPING ROCKS | 815871011044 | 98 g |
| 160413 | ELITE SHTIX WITH CREAM AND LENTILS | 815871011051 | 98 g |
| 160411 | ELITE SHTIX WITH MILK CREAM – 8 PIECES | 815871011037 | 98 g |
| 160456 | ELITE SHTIX WITH MILK CREAM – 8 PC | 815871011822 | |
| 160352 | ELITE MINI MIX CHOCOLATE | 77245111303 | 400 g |
| 160311 | ELITE MINI MIX CHOCOLATE BAR | 815871012959 | 390 g |
| 160315 | ELITE ASSORTED MINI MIX – SMALL BAG | 815871012966 | 190 g |
| 160309 | ELITE TUV TAAM CHOCOLATE WAFER | 815871013383 | 400 g |
| 160439 | ELITE TORTIT MEGADIM 40GR | 815871012201 | 40 g |
| 160476 | ELITE MILK CHOCOLATE COATED RICE CAKES – KITNIYOT | 815871011884 | 70 g |
| 160319 | ELITE NIMNIMS SINGLE PACK | 815871015097 | 40 g |
| 160304 | ELITE CHOCOLATE BUTTON SHAPED CANDIES – 10 PACKS | 815871015660 | 170 g |
| 160240 | ELITE CHOCOLATE HEARTS WITH HAZELNUT CREAM | 815871012973 | 50 g |
| 160510 | ELITE MILK CHOCOLATE COINS | 746132001743 | 15 g |
| 160511 | ELITE BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE COINS | 746132001255 | 15 g |
| 160105 | ELITE STRAWBERRY FLAVORED TOFFEE – SMALL BAG | 815871010344 | 200 / 600 g |
| 160106 | ELITE STRAWBERRY FLAVORED TOFFEE – LARGE BAG | 815871010368 | |
| 160806 | ELITE SUGAR FREE BLUEBERRY MUST GUM | 815871013123 | 28 g |
| 160804 | ELITE SUGAR FREE SPEARMINT MUST GUM | 815871010122 | 28 g |
| 160717 | ELITE MUST SPEARMINT GUM – IN A CUP | 815871012041 | 66/28 g |
| 160804 | ELITE SUGAR FREE SPEARMINT MUST GUM | 815871010122 | |
| 160716 | ELITE MUST REFRESHING MINT GUM – IN A CUP | 815871012034 | 66 g |
| 160805 | ELITE SUGAR FREE LEMON MINT MUST GUM | 815871013116 | 28 g |
| 160800 | ELITE SUGAR FREE CHERRY MUST GUM | 77245110764 | 28/66 g |
| 160842 | ELITE CHERRY GUM WITH SUGAR | 815871016209 | |
| 160860 | ELITE S/F SPEARMINT MUST GUM kitniyot | 815871012768 | 28 g |
| 160843 | ELITE GRAPE GUM WITH SUGAR | 815871015998 | 66 g |
| 160840 | ELITE SPEARMINT GUM WITH SUGAR | 815871014625 | 66 g |
| 160841 | ELITE REFRESHING MINT GUM WITH SUGAR | 815871014632 | 66 g |
| 160861 | ELITE S/F CLASSIC BAZOOKA GUM kitniyot | 815871012744 | 66 g /28 g |
| 160715 | ELITE BAZOOKA BUBBLE GUM – IN A CUP | 815871011778 | |
| 160704 | ELITE TUTI FRUITY BAZOOKA GUM | 815871010504 | |
| 160702 | ELITE GRAPE BAZOOKA GUM | 815871010467 | 28 g |
| 160756 | ELITE ORIGINAL BAZOOKA GUM (BAG) | 815871012638 | 190 g |
| 160706 | ELITE FRUIT BAZOOKA GUM (BAG) | 77245102219 | |
| 160478 | ELITE GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE WAFERS – KITNIYOT | 815871011945 | 400g / 200 g |
| 160230 | ELITE GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE FLAVORED WAFERS | 815871013161 | |
| 160928 | ELITE CHOCOLATE WAFERS | 815871013147 | 200g |
| 160210 | ELITE PESEK ZMAN SPREAD 12.3OZ | 815871013079 | 350g |
| 160205 | ELITE CHOCOLATE SPREAD – DAIRY | 77245110306 | 500g |
| 160201 | ELITE CHOCOLATE SPREAD | 815871010177 | 500g |
| 160502 | CHOCOLATE COINS MILK DISPLAY BINS ELITE | 815871010382 | |
| 160504 | CHOCOLATE COINS MILK Walmart DISPLAY TRAYS ELI | 815871011167 | |
| 160402 | CHOCOLATE BAR SHIPPER MEGADIM ELITE (D) | 815871010023 | |
| 160452 | CHOCOLATE BAR SHIPPER 3.5OZ [P] ELITE | 73490154324 | |
| 160241 | CHOCOLATE HEARTS SHIPPER MEGADIM ELITE (D) | 73490154485 |
Customers who bought the items are advised to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Strauss Israel encourages customers to communicate with them via Facebook, email (eliterecall@kayco.com) or their website.