What Parents Need to Know About the Lucky Charms FDA Investigation
There hasn't been an official recall — but complaints are still rolling in.
There’s been no official recall, however the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is investigating dozens of complaints linked to the popular cereal Lucky Charms. Here’s what parents need to know.
Lucky Charms, the cereal full of marshmallow goodness that kids and adults love, is at the center of some accusations of people getting sick. According to CNET, since 2021, more than 3,000 people have accused Lucky Charms of making them sick – with even more reports this month.
The reports are being documented on iwaspoisoned.com with reviews being left blaming the sugary cereal for causing gastrointestinal issues. Some issues noted include diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting, and stomach pain in adults and kids. There was a slew of additional reports more recently after a Saturday Night Live Weekend Update segment with Michael Che and Colin Jost discussed Lucky Charms-related illnesses.
The maker of the cereal, General Mills, told CNET that as of right now, there has not been any “active or potential recalls” of the cereal. The company noted that they take any reports of illness very seriously which prompted General Mills to do an internal investigation. At the confusion of the company’s investigation, they didn’t find anything evidence that could link the complaints of issues to the cereal.
“Food safety is our top priority. We take the consumer concerns reported via a third-party website very seriously. After a thorough internal investigation, we have not found any evidence that these complaints are attributed to our products,” Andrea Williamson, a General Mills spokesperson, said to NBC News. “We encourage consumers to please share any concerns directly with General Mills to ensure they can be appropriately addressed.”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also addressed the concerns regarding the Lucky Charms complaints. “The FDA is aware of reports and is looking into the matter. The FDA takes seriously any reports of possible adulteration of a food that may also cause illnesses or injury,” an FDA official said.
However, according to the agency, which has its own reporting system for people to report food safety issues, they’ve only received three reports related to Lucky Charms since 2021.
Parents who are concerned about symptoms after their kids or themselves at Lucky Charms should check in with their doctor.
