Uncle Ben’s Rice Recalled After Dozens Of Children Suffer Allergic Reactions

Uncle Ben’s rice is being recalled after dozens of children suffered apparent allergic reactions. The infused rice products were sold in five and 25-pound bags which were distributed to schools, hospitals, and other large institutions. According to the Food and Drug Administration, children in three states had adverse reactions after consuming the rice in their school lunch.

The incidents began in October 2013. Officials received notice that three small children and one adult experienced rashes after consuming the infused rice. However, the cause of the reactions was not determined.

In December 2013, 25 children in Illinois reported skin rashes, nausea, and headaches after eating their school lunch. Officials later determined all the children ate Uncle Ben’s Infused rice. Although the symptoms were not severe, and went away within an hour, school officials and parents were concerned.

In February, the FDA received reports that 34 students and four teachers experienced similar reactions in Katy, Texas. An investigation revealed that four schools served Uncle Ben’s Mexican flavor infused rice on the same day. The students and teachers who had reactions all consumed the rice.

Mars Foodservices issued a statement about the Uncle Ben’s rice recall. Although they are unsure what caused the reactions, they believe it may be linked to niacin or Vitamin B3:

“It appears that the reaction may be related to an excessive amount of niacin enrichment of the product.”

Federal law requires rice to be enriched with niacin. However, it is unclear how much niacin was present in the recalled products. To avoid further adverse reactions, Mars Foodservices has recalled numerous 5 and 25-pound bags of their infused rice.

The recalled 5-pound bags include roasted chicken, garlic & butter, Mexican, rice pilaf, saffron, and cheese. Twenty-five pound bags of Spanish flavor rice is also included in the recall. Mars said the products were not sold in grocery stores. However, they were distributed by wholesale suppliers. As reported by Washington Post, some of the rice may have been sold online.

Unused portions of the rice should not be consumed. The FDA suggests either returning the product to the original source or throwing it away. Although nobody has become serious ill, Mars and the FDA want to avoid further complications.

As the specific cause of the reactions is unclear, Mars is working closely with the FDA to determine what caused the symptoms.

The Uncle Ben’s rice recall should not affect consumers who purchase the products in grocery stores. However, those who purchase products in bulk should check their pantry for the products.

[Image via Shutterstock]