Duncan Hines Has Recalled These Cake Mixes Over Salmonella Concerns

If you have some boxes of cake mix sitting on your shelves, you might want to head over to your cabinet and check them out. Recently, Duncan Hines recalled some cake mixes over salmonella concerns, according to ABC News. The mixes recalled include some of the brand's more popular flavors, so as the holidays approach and baking season is in full swing, here's everything parents need to know.

Duncan Hines is owned by ConAgra Foods, which you may also be familiar with as the owners of brands like Hunt's, Pam, and Slim Jim. As reported by ABC News, ConAgra Foods has voluntarily recalled the following cake mixes: Classic White, Classic Butter Golden, Signature Confetti, and Classic Yellow.

ConAgra made the decision to recall these four mixes after reports of five cases salmonella illness, according to NBC News. Romper has reached out to Duncan Hines for further comment on the recall, but did not immediately hear back.

Salmonella is a common bacterial disease affecting the intestinal tract, according to the Mayo Clinic, and humans most frequently become infected by eating contaminated food or water. The severity of salmonella can vary, with the Mayo Clinic noting that most people recover within a few days without specific treatment, although life-threatening complications can arise if the infection spreads beyond your intestines. Salmonella is most concerning for young children, older adults, pregnant women, and others who have weakened immune systems, according to the Mayo Clinic.

In a statement released on Nov. 5, the Food and Drug Administration noted that ConAgra foods is voluntarily participating in this recall. According to the FDA's statement, both the FDA and Center for Disease Control and Prevention are investigating five cases of salmonella.

The decision for recall was made after a sample of Duncan Hines' Classic White cake mix showed a positive finding of salmonella, as reported by NBC Philadelphia. As the FDA noted:

While it has not been definitively concluded that this product is linked to the outbreak and the investigation is still ongoing, Conagra has decided to voluntarily recall the specific Duncan Hines variety identified (Classic White) and three other varieties (Classic Butter Golden, Signature Confetti and Classic Yellow) made during the same time period out of an abundance of caution.

Concerns are certainly valid as this is not the first salmonella-based recall to have occurred within the past few months. At the end of October, Vox reported that an Arizona-based meat company recalled 6.9 million pounds of raw beef because it may have been contaminated with salmonella.

As for this latest recall on cake mix, the FDA noted that products affected by the recall have the following UPC codes:

• 644209307500
• 644209307494
• 644209307593
• 644209414550

You can also check for the following used by dates located at the top of the box:

Classic White Cake

• March 7, 2019
• March 8, 2019
• March 9, 2019
• March 12, 2019
• March, 13 2019

Classic Yellow Cake

• March 9, 2019
• March 10, 2019
• March 12, 2019
• March, 13 2019

Butter Golden Cake

• March 7, 2019
• March 8, 2019
• March 9, 2019

Confetti Cake

• March 12, 2019
• March, 13 2019

Anyone who has purchased the recalled cake mixes can return them to the store where they were originally purchased, according to the FDA. You can also visit Duncan Hines' website to request a replacement coupon using the company's online form.

As the investigation continues, it's also important to note that the FDA reported some individuals may have consumed these products while they were raw and not baked. As such, Duncan Hines has urged consumers to not eat any raw batter, saying in its own statement:

Consumers are reminded not to consume any raw batter. Cake mixes and batter can be made with ingredients such as eggs or flour which can carry risks of bacteria that are rendered harmless by baking, frying or boiling.

It's unclear what exactly caused the recent salmonella outbreak, but it's better to be safe than sorry. If you have any of the four cake mixes on your shelves, take a quick look and make sure they're not included in the recall.