>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE>June 28, 2007>>

Media Inquiries:>Michael Herndon, 301-827-6242>Consumer Inquiries:>888-INFO-FDA>>>>FDA Warns Consumers Not to Eat Veggie Booty Snack Food>Risk of Salmonella Contamination>>>The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to eat>Veggie Booty snack food, marketed by Robert's American Gourmet, due to>possible contamination with Salmonella Wandsworth bacteria that cause>gastrointestinal illness.>>FDA advises consumers to throw away any Robert's American Gourmet brand>Veggie Booty they have in their home. Veggie Booty is sold in a flexible>plastic foil bag in four ounce, one ounce, and one-half ounce packages.>>Veggie Booty is often consumed by children, so parents are encouraged to>watch their children, and seek medical care if they observe signs of>illness.>>Individuals who have recently eaten Veggie Booty and who have experienced>any of the symptoms described below should contact a doctor or other health>care provider immediately. Any such illnesses in persons with a recent>history of eating Veggie Booty should be reported to state or local health>authorities.>>This warning is based on 52 reports of illness across 17 states, beginning>in March 2007. Almost all the illnesses have occurred in children under 10>years old, with the most cases in toddlers. Most persons had reported>bloody diarrhea; four were hospitalized. FDA learned of the illnesses on>June 27 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which>conducted an investigation of the illnesses with state and local health>officials. The outbreak is considered likely to be ongoing.>>Salmonella typically causes diarrhea (may be bloody); the diarrhea is often>accompanied by abdominal cramps and fever. Symptoms typically begin within>one to four days after exposure to the bacteria. In infants, persons with>poor underlying health and those with weakened immune systems, Salmonella>can invade the bloodstream and cause life-threatening infections.>>States reporting illnesses include: California (seven cases), Colorado>(five cases), Connecticut (one case), Georgia (one case), Indiana (one>case), Massachusetts (three cases), Minnesota (two cases), New Hampshire>(two cases), New Jersey (two cases), New York (13 cases), Oregon (one>case), Pennsylvania (three cases), Tennessee (one), Texas (one), Vermont>(three cases), Washington (four cases), and Wisconsin (two cases).>>Robert's American Gourmet, of Sea Cliff, N.Y., which markets Veggie Booty,>and its contract manufacturer, are fully cooperating with FDA's>investigation into the cause of the contamination. Manufacturing and>distribution of this product has ceased, and Robert's American Gourmet is>recalling all potentially contaminated product, including all expiration>dates and lot codes. The product is sold in all 50 states and Canada at>retail locations and over the Internet.>>FDA will provide updates as the investigation progresses and more>information becomes available.