Quaker Oats announced yesterday that it is recalling a limited amount of pancake and waffle mixes due to potential Salmonella contamination.  I wrote a couple of weeks back about sesame seeds and Salmonella, and how dried goods (like seeds, nuts and flour) seem to be prone to Salmonella contamination.

Quick hits on this recall:

1. Interesting to me that the FDA’s press release and Quaker Oats press release includes this line (and it is in italics on the FDA site, as to highlight it):
There is very low risk of illness when preparation directions on box are followed and product is not consumed raw or undercooked. Salmonella bacteria is killed at a temperature of 160° F.
After Conagra’s meat pie communication I didn’t think we’d see consumer control messages like this. I wonder how hot pancakes get?  Or waffles, it’s kind of hard to use a thermometer on them. I like my waffles kind of light, just cooked enough to not fall apart.  Not sure what the literature says on this one. 

2. Quaker Oats has great information on their website already (here, at top, and here), with a nice graphic on how to handle the recall.  The consumer information on Aunt Jemima’s graphic doesn’t include the undercooked message that the press releases do.  Especially love that people can sign-up for ongoing info — good preparation on Quaker Oats’ part.