Duncan Hines Signature Confetti Cake mix has been pulled off the shelves in Singapore due to potential contamination with salmonella, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said on Thursday (Nov 8). 

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had earlier issued an alert about the voluntary recall of four products made by the American brand, including its Classic White, Classic Butter Golden and Classic Yellow cake mixes. 

In the alert, the FDA said a positive finding of salmonella in a retail sample of Duncan Hines cake mix may be linked to a salmonella outbreak that was being investigated in the US. 

"While it has not been definitively concluded that this product is linked to the outbreak and the investigation is still ongoing, Conagra (Brands) has decided to voluntarily recall the specific Duncan Hines variety identified (Classic White) and three other varieties made during the same time period out of an abundance of caution," the alert read, adding that five occurrences of illnesses due to salmonella were being probed. 

"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," said the FDA. 

"Several of the individuals reported consuming cake mix at some point prior to becoming ill and some may have also consumed these products raw and not baked," it added. 

US media reported that more than 2 million boxes of Duncan Hines cake mix had been recalled. 

In its press release, AVA said it conducted a check and confirmed that the confetti cake mix had been imported into Singapore. 

"As a precautionary measure, the importer had voluntarily recalled the implicated product. The recall has been completed," said AVA. 

AVA also advised customers who have purchased the product not to use or consume it, and to contact Phoon Huat at 6654-4333 for enquiries.