Moldy Ding Dong Scare Sparked by Mechanical Issue

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The JM Smucker Company has issued a dire

warning.

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Check your Ding Dongs, or you might regret it.

The company,

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which owns snack brand Hostess, sent a

withdrawal notice to retailers last week,

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alerting them to a potential for mold and

select lots of Hostess Ding Dongs sold in the

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US.

The company said it's working with regulatory

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officials to make them aware of the issue and

to ensure appropriate oversight.

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JM Smucker said its root cause investigation

confirmed that a mechanical issue with a piece

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of equipment is to blame for creating

conditions that could support the development

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of mold in the product prior to the expiration

date.

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The company said the mechanical issue was

addressed in a timely manner and the affected.

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Products are already close to their expiration dates.

Nevertheless, it's choosing to be cautious and

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pull the potentially moldy Ding Dongs off the

shelves.

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It's unclear what specific mechanical issue

caused the problem,

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but the company insisted no other items it

manufactures were impacted.

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The recalled products include 2, 10, and 16

count packages of Ding Dongs with expiration

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dates.

Ranging from August 30th to September 3,

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2025.

It's a relatively small recall compared to

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other actions JM Smucker has taken in recent

years, including a large recall in 2024 for

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Walmart-branded baked goods that possibly

contained pieces of plastic.

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JM Smucker acquired Hostess in 2023 in a deal

valued at $5.6 billion.

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In addition to buying a brand portfolio that

includes Twinkies,

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Ho Hos, Zingers, and the aforementioned Ding

Dongs, Smucker took over manufacturing

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facilities in Kansas, Ontario, Illinois,

Georgia, Indiana,

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and Arkansas, along with a distribution

facility in Kansas.

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Additionally, approximately 3,000 employees

joined JM Smucker as part of the deal.

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I'm Ben Munson, and this is Manufacturing Now.