The Internet Is Very Invested In This Cinnamon Toast Crunch Box Mystery

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Cinnamon Toast Crunch is a fan favorite when it comes to cereals. Millions of people buy it every day and their commercials bring back childhood memories for so many people. Now, it looks like Cinnamon Toast Crunch is trending but not for something good. In fact, it’s actually quite disturbing, especially for Jensen Karp.

https://twitter.com/JensenKarp/status/1374051365417230336?s=20

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Box Mystery

On Monday morning, Jensen Karp noticed something unusual in his cereal. He went to pour a second bowl of cereal when a shrimp tail fell into the bowl. He said in an interview, “I picked it up, and I was like, ‘This is clearly a shrimp tail.’”

After looking in the bag, he found more shrimp tails that were covered in sugar. This whole experience has been really scarred him. Karp, 41, is a writer and comedian in Los Angeles. He took pictures and tweeted them out to the Cinnamon Toast Crunch Twitter account.

“I get really grossed out, and I’m medicated for O.C.D., so this is a total nightmare for me,” Karp added. He also sent an email to General Mills who has been selling Cinnamon Toast Crunch for years. The Twitter account responded to him.

“After further investigation with our team that closely examined the image, it appears to be an accumulation of the cinnamon sugar that sometimes can occur when ingredients aren’t thoroughly blended. We assure you that there’s no possibility of cross contamination with shrimp.”

This wasn’t the response that Karp would’ve wanted. Although, he said that the company was nicer about the situation privately. The company offered to send him another box but he declined.

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The tweet went viral and a few people told him to keep looking in the bag of cereal. Unfortantely, it only got worse from there. Karp said that he found, “shrimp skins-looking things,” “a small string,” and something else he wasn’t sure what it was but it looks like a nut. All of the items were covered in cinnamon sugar.

It just kept getting worse for Karp. The more he examined the cereal the more he felt sick. He noticed some mysterious black pieces that were stuck to some of the squares and loose at the bottom of the bag. He is afraid to guess but hopes it’s not rat feces. When tweeting about it, he told his followers at this point he would rather not know so keep your guesses to yourself.

He called California Poison Control System on Monday night and took the stuff in to get tested in a lab. “That’s what I’m trying to get tested right now, because that’s the only thing that really matters to me as far as if I can get sick.”

Karp bought a “two-pack” of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, a large box containing two bags. After inspecting the other bag, he saw what he thinks to be tape along the bottom of the bag. He thinks it’s possible the bags were tampered with.

MIke Siemienas, a representative for General Mills, announced that they are investigating the matter but was confident to say that this didn’t happen at their facility. Siemienas stated, “We are waiting for the consumer to send us the package to investigate further. Any consumers who notice their cereal box or bag has been tampered with, such as the clear tape that was found in this case, should contact us.”

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Until Karp gets some answers, he is holding onto the boxes even though the company had advised him to forward the box for evidence. He does not have plans to take legal action. He is waiting for confirmation about the shrimp tails but with the small black pieces, Karp is questioning. “Obviously, if I ate rat poop, we’re gonna have to readdress that,” he continued.

Jensen Karp is disappointed with the way the situation is being handled by General Mills. He feels that the company is gaslighting him. “All you have to do is say, ‘This is such a bummer, we’re going to look into it. We’re going to recall the ones from your Costco.’ Like, it’s such an easy PR thing to do,” he said.

Twitter Memes

Jensen Karp’s tweet went viral. Millions of people love Cinnamon Toast Crunch and to see a story like this is horribly unsettling. Many people have begun inspecting their boxes worried that they too might have some unpleasant surprises. In situations like these people are always interested to see how a company will handle it. Gaslighting is definitely the highly unfavorable way to go.

And Twitter is always here to provide the memes.

Fact Or Fiction? 

Of course, there are people that are going to question if this is a publicity stunt or some kind of joke that Karp is pulling off. Which he addressed by saying, “I’m a comedy writer, but like, there’s no joke here.”

He continued by asking what his motive would be by pulling something like this, “To take down my favorite cereal brand? I don’t even know why that’s a funny joke. I love Cinnamon Toast Crunch. It’s the only cereal I eat. I own the Kyrie Irving Cinnamon Toast Crunch Nikes.”

Jensen Karp mainly wants to make sure people are safe which is the reason he is making sure this gets addressed. “I just want you to fix it, you know, for other people. I’m not even like trying to say like, ‘Be better,’ or whatever. I’m literally just saying, ‘Go investigate it.’”

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