The Duncan Hines possible cake mix Salmonella Agbeni outbreak has ended with 7 sick in 5 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. No people were hospitalized in this outbreak and there were no deaths. As of January 14, 2019, the outbreak appears to be over.
Illness onset dates ranged from June 13, 2018 to October 5, 2018. The patient age range was from 26 to 72. The case count by state is: Florida (1), Maryland (2), Missouri (1), Ohio (2), and Wisconsin (1).
On November 5, 2018, ConAgra Brands recalled four different varieties of Duncan Hines Cake Mix. Officials in Oregon found Salmonella Agbeni in a box of Duncan Hines Classic White Cake Mix. If you have any of these products in your home, throw them away in a sealed package in a secure garbage can. Wash your hands well with soap and water after handling the package.
But, even after finding Salmonella Agbeni in an unopened package of the cake mix, the CDC states, “There was not enough epidemiologic and traceback information available to determine if ill people in this outbreak were linked to contaminated cake mix produced by Duncan Hines.”
CDC reviewed PulseNet data, the national storage center for bacteria that have caused human illness, and found the seven patients. All patients were sickened with the same strain of Salmonella Agbeni.
In interviews, patients answered questions about the foods they ate before they got sick. Three people were interviewed; two said they ate cake before they got sick; one said they ate raw cake mix, but didn’t know the brand.
This outbreak is a good reminder to treat cake mix, as well as flour, as a potential hazard. These products contain raw agricultural ingredients that are not heated and should be cooked to 165°F before consumption.
The symptoms of a Salmonella infection include fever, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea that may be bloody. Illness symptoms usually start 12 to 72 hours after ingesting the pathogen.
