PHNOM PENH, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Friday warned consumers, especially pregnant women and children, not to eat soy nut butter or granola products made by the U.S.' SoyNut Butter Company, saying that those products may be contaminated with E. coli O157.
Those products included I.M. Healthy SoyNut Butter, I.M. Healthy Granola products and Dixie Diner's Club brand, said a statement from the Cambodia Import-Export Inspection and Fraud Repression Directorate General, known as Camcontrol.
The statement added that the company has recalled those products from the U.S. market since earlier this month.
"The Camcontrol has been taking measures to ban the imports of the above-mentioned products," the statement said.
Besides, the Camcontrol has informed importers, distributors and vendors about those products and closely monitored markets to ensure that the products would not be sold, it said.
The warning came after the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned consumers earlier this month about E. coli O157 outbreak, and the SoyNut Butter Company that makes soy nut butter and granola is a possible source of the outbreak.
Symptoms of illness caused by E. coli O157 typically include severe stomach cramps and diarrhea, often with bloody stools, and vomiting, according to the CDC. Most people recover within five to seven days, but some infections are severe or even life-threatening.
According to the CDC, at least 23 people in nine states in the U.S. infected with the outbreak strains of E. coli O157 after eating I.M. Healthy and Dixie Diner's Club brand soy nut butter products.
