Don’t touch that peanut butter cracker!

Until yesterday, I had never even thought of calling the Kellogg Consumer Response Center (but in case you do, it’s 888-314-2060). But two days ago, that Michigan-based Kellogg’s announced it was “taking the precautionary measure” of putting a hold on some of its best-selling snack crackers: those cellophane-wrapped Austin brand and Keebler brand Toasted Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers, Peanut Butter and Jelly Crackers, Cheese and Peanut Butter Crackers, and Peanut Butter-Chocolate Sandwich Crackers.

So I called the number and got a very long recorded message about how the FDA and other regulatory agencies were investigating the Peanut Butter Corporation of America (PCA), one of the companies that supplies peanut butter to Kellogg, concerning a recent salmonella outbreak thought to be caused by tainted peanut butter. None of the PCA’s recalled batches of peanut butter, the message explained, were ever used in any Kellogg products, but the company was taking precautionary measures. In a press release issued on Wednesday, the company said it was putting a hold on any inventory in its control, removing product from store shelves (but not our office candy machine, I’ve noticed) and “encouraging customers and consumers to “hold and not eat these products until regulatory officials complete their investigation of PCA and Kellogg provides further information as to the resolution of this issue.”

Until then, I’m only eating healthy candy bars.