The Quaker Oats Company, a subsidiary of PepsiCo, Inc., has announced a voluntary recall of a small quantity of Cap’n Crunch’s Peanut Butter Crunch cereal due to the potential presence of Salmonella. While the potentially affected product only reached five specific Target stores and is limited to 21 boxes of one variety with two Best Before Dates, Quaker is initiating the voluntary recall to protect public health.

The recall was initiated as the result of a routine sampling program by the company, which revealed the finished product may contain bacteria. Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons 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.