FDA Assigns Class I Risk Level to Honeyville Banana Smoothie Recall

U.S. Food and Drug Administration assigned its highest risk classification to a voluntary recall of banana smoothie product distributed by Honeyville Inc. , a Utah-based wholesaler, initiated the recall on May 21 after receiving telephone notification of a potential salmonella risk.

The recall covers 4,980 pounds of (BULK) SPL-BEV Banana CWT (Banana Smoothie) in Super Sack Tote Item# 355-0099, lot number 0325357B201, and affects consignees in California and Utah. The FDA classified the action as Class I on May 22.

The recall remains ongoing, according to the FDA.

Newsweek contacted Honeyville by email outside normal business hours for comment. A Class I classification indicates a reasonable probability that use of or exposure to the product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.

Salmonella is a group of bacteria that causes salmonellosis, one of the most common foodborne illnesses in the United States. 35 million infections, 26,500 hospitalizations, and about 420 deaths annually. Infection typically occurs through contaminated food or beverages.

Symptoms appear 12 to 72 hours after exposure and include diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, nausea, and vomiting. Most healthy people recover within a week, but young children, adults over 65, and people with weakened immune systems face higher risk of severe illness.

LLC also recalled limited varieties of Dirty and Zapp’s potato chips this month after learning a seasoning containing dry milk powder may have been contaminated with salmonella. The Brownie Baker initiated a separate recall of Nouria Banana Nut muffins that were mislabeled as blueberry but contained walnuts.