According to the Food and Drug Administration, 34 students and four teachers in Katy, Texas, experienced burning, itching rashes, headaches and nausea for 30 to 90 minutes after eating the rice last week.
Mars Foodservices of Greenville, Miss., is recalling 5- and 25-pound bags of Uncle Ben's flavor-infused rice, including roasted chicken flavor, garlic and butter flavor, Mexican flavor, saffron flavor, cheese flavor, Spanish flavor and Uncle Ben's Rice Pilaf. The products are mostly sold through wholesale distributors.
Uncle Ben's ready-to-eat, boxed, bagged and cup products in grocery stores are not included in the recall because they have not been linked to the illnesses.
The FDA is still investigating the illnesses in Texas. But the agency says it is similar to a previous incident in Illinois involving another Uncle Ben's recall. In the Illinois incident, which happened in December, the FDA said it found an excess of niacin, also known as vitamin B3, in Uncle Ben's rice. The agency said overexposure to niacin can cause skin reactions, and very large doses can cause indigestion and nausea.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
