Mondelez voluntarily recalls some U.S. Ritz cracker products

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Mondelez Global LLC <MDLZ.O> has voluntarily begun recalling some Ritz Cracker sandwiches and Ritz Bits products over concern that they may include an ingredient tainted with Salmonella.

The company said in a statement on Saturday that it has not received any complaints of illness, and that it issued the recall as a precautionary measure.

The concern is over the ingredient whey powder, which one of Mondelez's suppliers has recalled due to "the potential presence of Salmonella," according to Mondelez.

Salmonella is a microorganism that can cause people to experience fevers, nausea and gastro-intestinal problems, which can be serious in children and others with weakened immune systems, the company said.

The recall extends to more than a dozen types of Ritz cracker sandwich and Ritz Bits products sold in the United States, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

(Reporting by Elizabeth Dilts; Editing by Sandra Maler)