Bickel’s recalls 7 brands of chips because of Salmonella risk

Bickel’s Snack Foods Inc. is recalling seven brands of potato chips that were made with powdered milk ingredients supplied by one of its’ secondary seasoning component suppliers, Valley Milk Products LLC, because of Salmonella contamination.

The recall by the York, PA, snack company was one of four posted Thursday on FDA and USDA websites by food companies that named powdered milk from Valley Milk Products of Strasburg, VA.

recalled Bickels potato chips Valley Milk — To view photos of more brands of chips recalled by Bickel’s, click on the image.

Since Dec. 7 at least 17 companies have recalled products packaged under even more brandnames because of the potential Salmonella contamination. Valley Milk has recalled about 3 million pounds of powdered milk and powdered buttermilk — after the federal government seized 4 million pounds of the same products from the cooperative’s production plant in Strasburg.

“On Dec. 16, Bickel’s Snack Foods Inc. was notified Valley Milk Products LLC initiated a recall of products made with milk powders or sour cream,” according to the Bickel’s recall notice on the Food and Drug Administration’s website.

“Although no lab tests have confirmed the presence of Salmonella in these products and no illnesses have been reported, we are voluntarily recalling these products out of an abundance of caution.

“Customers who purchased this product should dispose of it immediately. Consumers with questions may contact Bickel’s Snack Foods Inc. toll-free at 800-888-4646 Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. EST.”

Consumers can identify the potato chips included in the Bickel’s recall by looking for the following codes on the packaging:

To see more photos of the recalled potato chips produced by Bickel’s, click on the image.

Bon Ton Sour Cream & Onion Flavored Potato Chips, Size: 2.75 oz with UPC number 7004000224, Best by Between 12/26/16-3/20/17, Manufactured Between 9/20/16-12/14/16;
Seifert Sour Cream & Onion Flavored Potato Chips, 2 oz with UPC number 7593996049, Best by Between 12/19/16-3/20/17, Manufactured Between 9/14/16-12/14/16;
Seifert Sour Cream & Onion Flavored Potato Chips, 5 oz with UPC number 7593905103, Best by 1/2/17, Manufactured 9/28/16;
Seifert Sour Cream & Onion Flavored Potato Chips, 8.5 oz with UPC number 7593905033, Best by Between 12/19/16-3/20/17, Manufactured Between 9/14/16-12/14/16;
Bickel’s Sour Cream & Onion Flavored Potato Chips, .75 oz with UPC number 7148700930, Best by Between 12/19/16-3/13/17, Manufactured Between 9/14/16-12/7/16;
Bickel’s Sour Cream & Onion Flavored Potato Chips, 2 oz with UPC number 7148700602, Best by Between 1/16/17-3/6/17, Manufactured Between 10/12/16-11/30/16;
Bickel’s Sour Cream & Onion Flavored Potato Chips 7 oz with UPC number 7148721020, Best by Between 1/2/17-3/6/17, Manufactured Between 9/28/16-11/30/16;
Bickel’s Sour Cream & Onion Flavored Potato Chips, 8.5 oz with UPC number 7148711030, Best by Between 1/2/17-3/13/17, Manufactured Between:9/28/16-12/7/16;
Bon Ton Sour Cream & Onion Flavored Potato Chips, 1.5 oz with UPC number 7004004132, Best by 1/9/17, Manufactured 10/5/16;
Troyer Sour Cream & Onion Flavored Potato Chips, 2 oz with UPC number 7017500019, Best by Between 12/19/16-3/13/17, Manufactured Between 9/14/16-12/7/16;
Dan Dee Sour Cream & Onion Flavored Potato Chips, 7/8 oz with UPC number 3720000014, Best by Between 12/19/16-2/20/17, Manufactured Between 9/14/16-11/17/16;
Dan Dee Sour Cream & Onion Flavored Potato Chips, 2 oz with UPC number 3720000476, Best by Between 12/19/16-3/20/17, Manufactured Between 9/14/16-12/14/16;
Dan Dee Sour Cream & Onion Flavored Potato Chips, 8.5 oz with UPC number 3720000504, Best by Between 1/9/17-3/20/17, Manufactured Between 10/5/16-12/14/16;
Troyer Sour Cream & Onion Potato Chips, 8.5 oz with UPC number 7017500060, Best by Between 1/9/17-3/20/17, Manufactured Between 10/4/16-12/13/16;
Cabana-Sour Cream & Onion Flavored Potato Chips, 5 oz with UPC number 7277901085, Best by Between 3/6/17-4/24/17, Manufactured Between 9/20/16-11/9/16; and
Key Foods Sour Cream & Onion Potato Chips 6 oz with UPC number 73296216671, Best by Between 12/26/16-3/13/17, Manufactured Between 9/20/16-12/7/16.

Anyone who has consumed any of the recalled products and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention and tell their doctors about the possible exposure to the pathogen.

Food contaminated with Salmonella may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick. Young children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems may contract serious and sometimes deadly infections.

Healthy people may experience short-term symptoms such as fever, headache, vomiting, nausea, abdominal cramps and diarrhea. Long-term complications may include severe arthritis.

Related recalls
At the request of the FDA, armed U.S. Marshals raided the Valley Milk plant on Dec. 1 and seized 4 million pounds of powdered milk and powdered buttermilk.

On Dec. 9 Valley Milk Products recalled 3.1 million pounds of powdered milk products produced and sold in the period from Dec. 5, 2015, through July 10, 2016.

While the FDA has access to company records showing who bought the recalled powdered milk, and when, it cannot publish those details because of a federal law protecting “confidential corporate information.”

In a document filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia the FDA reported environmental swabs collected at the production facility returned positive results for Salmonella.

Inspectors also found internal records at Valley Milk that showed the company itself had found Salmonella in the facility and in finished products.

For additional details on other recalls related to the Valley Milk Products problems with Salmonella, please see: