Chobani Yogurt Recall 2013 News Update: FDA Receives Over 200 Complaints About Greek Yogurt Cups Affected by Mold

Complaints made to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about popular yogurt maker Chobani has now risen to 223.

After eating Chobani yogurt, many people reported coming down with symptoms including cramps, nausea, headache or diarrhea, said a FDA spokeswoman. However, the FDA has not confirmed whether the yogurt was the source of illness.

"We're looking into it. This is an open investigation," said FDA spokeswoman Shelly Burgess, according to OregonLive.com.

Initially, the company tried to avoid issuing a recall and brushed aside questions about illnesses before it acknowledged the reports and issued a recall of 91 varieties of their Greek yogurt from store shelves.  Consumers reported yogurt in containers that appeared bloated or swollen while others reported an off taste and hissing or exploding containers.  The complaints came from people in Arizona, Delaware, New York, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, California, Indiana and Florida.

The yogurt was found to be contaminated with Mucor circinelloides, a type of mold that causes dairy products to spoil, but is not considered a foodborne pathogen, reports the Food Poisoning Bulletin. The mold is a common species that usually affects fruits, vegetables and other plants. It has also been linked to previous cases of spoiled yogurt.

The yogurt company, which is based in New Berlin, NY, said that most of the affected products came from its Idaho facility and have already been pulled from shelves. 

In a FDA visit to the Chobani plant linked to a recall of moldy yogurt in Twin Falls, Idaho on Sept. 5, inspectors said that they did not report any significant objections.  However, that doesn't mean that the case is closed. "FDA's investigation in the Chobani Greek yogurt recall is still ongoing and the agency cannot provide specific details at this time," FDA spokeswoman Tamara Ward said in an email to NBC News.

The recalled containers are marked with the code 16-012 and expiration dates Sept. 11 to Oct. 7.

Consumers can contact Chobani at 877-847-6181 as well as the FDA at 800-FDA-1088. Chobani asked customers who'd like a refund to contact it through its website, www.Chobani.com.