Smith’s Food and Drug recalling cheese dips sold in deli departments

Photo illustration. | Photo by zimmytws, iStock/Getty Images Plus, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — The ongoing recall of onions over salmonella contamination is now affecting what people will be dipping their chips and crackers into.

File picture showing salmonella bacteria culture plate with red onions. | Photo by Manjurul, iStock/Getty Images Plus, St. George News

The Kroger Co. is recalling several types of cheese dips sold in its Smith’s Markets.

The recall doesn’t include all cheese dips sold in Smith’s stores, just certain dips sold mainly in clear plastic containers within the deli sections of the markets.

Aubriana Martindale, spokesperson for Smith’s Markets, told St. George News in a statement that the company is concerned because the dips were made with onions supplied by Thomson International, Inc., which have been linked to a nationwide salmonella outbreak that has made people sick in 42 states, including Utah. 

“Out of an abundance of caution, these items have been removed from store shelves and the company has initiated its customer recall notification system that alerts customers who may have purchased recalled products through register receipt tape messages and phone calls,” Martindale said. 

Smith’s has two locations in St. George, as well as markets in Cedar City and Mesquite, Nevada.

A picture of a Murray’s Jarlsberg Dip that was among those recalled by Smith’s Market. | Photo courtesy The Kroger Co., St. George News

There have been 90 people infected by tainted onions in Utah, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than in any other state. The Food and Drug Administration said no illnesses have been linked directly to the cheese dip being recalled. 

Smith’s said onions from Thomson International, Inc. were removed from stores on Aug. 1, but it was determined some of the Thompson onions that had been in the produce department before they were removed were used as an ingredient in cheese dips made in stores.

The product was sold in stores between May 15 and Aug. 6. Smith’s directs customers that have purchased the dip not to eat it and says they can return it to a store for a full refund or replacement. Additional questions can be directed to their customer support number at 800-576-4377.

According to the CDC, healthy people infected with salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

The CDC also said salmonella can potentially be fatal in young children and the elderly.

Smith’s is recalling the following cheese dip products:

  • Murray’s Chads Smoked Gouda Dip
  • Murray’s Jalapeno Jarlsberg Dip
  • Murray’s Bacon Chive Jarlsberg Dip
  • Murray’s Southwestern Jarlsberg Dip
  • Jarlsberg Dip
  • Pimento Cheese Dip
  • Deli Jarlsberg Jalapeno Dip
  • Deli Bacon Chive Jarlsberg Dip
  • Deli Southwestern Jarlsberg Dip
  • Deli Jarlsberg Dip
  • Deli Jarlsberg Cheese Dip
  • Deli Applewood Cheddar Dip
  • Deli Buffalo Blue Cheese Spread
  • Deli Southwest Cheese Dip
  • Deli Ranch Cheese Spread

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2020, all rights reserved.

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!