Goldfish recalled due to Salmonella scare

The snack that smiles back is at the center of some frown-worthy news.

Pepperidge Farm announced a voluntary recall of four varieties of Goldfish crackers in a press release on Monday.

An ingredient supplier notified Pepperidge Farm that a whey powder used in the cracker's seasoning might be contaminated with Salmonella bacteria, according to the release.

The company has since taken precautions by notifying consumers to discard or return products for a refund. The affected flavors include: Flavor Blasted Xtra Cheddar, Flavor Blasted Sour Cream & Onion, Goldfish Baked with Whole Grain Xtra Cheddar, and Goldfish Mix Xtra Cheddar + Pretzel.

Pepperidge Farm has also released a detailed chart that outlines sell-by dates and package codes for all of the potentially affected products. A total of 18 variations in product sizes with varying sell-by dates are listed.

No illnesses have been reported, according to the USDA Food Safety Twitter account. It is unclear whether or not an investigation will be conducted.

The Food and Drug Administration warns customers to look out for salmonella symptoms including diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps and vomiting. Symptoms are likely to arise within six to 48 hours of consumption, according to the FDA.

Illness could last between four and seven days and is typically resolved without treatment other than drinking a lot of fluids -- except in the case of severe diarrhea, which would require hospitalization, according to the agency.

Frequent hand-washing is cited by the FDA as the best way to avoid getting salmonella from someone who has it.

Goldfish is just the latest in salmonella-related recalls. Kellogg's Honey Smacks cereal was recalled due to a salmonella outbreak in June.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, food is the source of about 1 million Salmonella-related illnesses, 19,000 hospitalizations and 380 deaths in the United States every year.