Croutons sold at Kroger stores in 17 states voluntarily recalled due to potential salmonella contamination
Packaged salad croutons sold at grocery stores in 17 states are being voluntarily recalled due to possible salmonella contamination.
Sugar Foods LLC has issued a voluntary recall on certain lots of Kroger Homestyle Cheese Garlic Croutons "due to the potential for Salmonella contamination associated with milk powder used as an ingredient in the product," the company said in a recall announcement Friday, which was published on the Food and Drug Administration website Monday.
The recall is linked to an earlier voluntary recall of milk powder product by California Dairies, which was used in a "seasoning blend that Sugar Foods purchases from Solina USA and applies to the croutons," according to Sugar Foods.
"The affected seasoning batches tested negative for Salmonella prior to use," Sugar Foods added.
The recall is limited to 5-ounce pouches of Kroger Homestyle Cheese Garlic Croutons that bear the UPC code 011110813534, the company said. Affected products were distributed between March 7, 2026, and April 7, 2026, to Kroger stores in 17 states including Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin and West Virginia, according to the recall announcement.
Consumers who purchased one of the recalled crouton products can contact Sugar Foods by phone at (332) 240-6676 with any questions or for additional information. The company will be available seven days a week, 24 hours a day, it said.
California Dairies first issued the recall on its milk powder product in April, according to the FDA. That recall has since been linked to a number of other recalls of consumer packaged goods, the agency says.
Sugar Foods said it initiated its recall "out of an abundance of caution ... based on the ingredient supplier's recall."
No illnesses have been reported in connection with the Sugar Foods recall, the company said.
ABC News has reached out to California Dairies and Sugar Foods for comment.
What are the symptoms of salmonella?
Salmonella are bacteria that cause about 1.35 million infections in the U.S. every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Contaminated food is the source of most of these illnesses, the agency states.
Most people infected with salmonella can experience a range of symptoms including abdominal pain, fever, headache, watery diarrhea that may also have blood or mucus, loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting, according to the CDC.
Symptoms typically begin six hours to six days after ingesting the bacteria, and infected people typically recover without treatment after four to seven days, the CDC states.
Some people, particularly children under the age of 5, adults 65 and older, or those with weakened immune systems, may experience more severe illnesses that require medical treatment or hospitalization, according to the agency.
