AUGUSTA – Malt-O-Meal is voluntarily recalling some packages of its unsweetened Puffed Rice and unsweetened Puffed Wheat Cereals because they may be contaminated with salmonella.

The cereal was distributed nationally under the Malt-O-Meal brand and under some private label brands, including the store brands for Hannaford and Shaw’s Supermarkets. The Minnesota-based company says the packages include those with “Best If Used By” dates between April 8, 2008, and March 18, 2009.

The Maine Center for Disease Control has identified three cases of infection with a strain of salmonella similar to that found in the contaminated cereal, based on preliminary information.

Salmonella is a bacterium that can cause abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. The infection can be most severe in the very young, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems.

A full listing of the affected products can be found at: http://www.malt-o-meal.com/recallinfo