Trader Joe’s recalls basil amid salmonella outbreak, investigation

(NEW YORK) — Trader Joe’s shoppers with an affinity for homemade pesto, Caprese salad or other dishes that utilize fresh basil should check their fridge for a newly recalled plastic clamshell container of the organic herb.

“Do not eat Infinite Herbs-brand organic basil sold at Trader Joe’s stores in 29 states and D.C.,” the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned on Wednesday amid an ongoing salmonella investigation being carried out in tandem with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“This product should no longer be for sale at Trader Joe’s and is likely past shelf-life. If you already bought organic basil from Trader Joe’s and removed it from the packaging or froze it and cannot tell if it was Infinite Herbs-brand, do not eat or use it and throw it away,” the FDA urged consumers.

The popular grocer announced a voluntary recall of its 2.5-ounce plastic clamshell containers of organic basil on April 17 “as the product may have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.”

The product is marked with the UPC code 8 18042 02147 7 and was sold between Feb. 1 and April 6, 2024, in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.

“If you purchased the product during this date range, please discard it or return it to any Trader Joe’s for a full refund,” the retailer said in its recall announcement.

Those with questions about the recall can contact Trader Joe’s customer relations at (626) 599-3817 or by emailing the company through the product feedback form on its site.

Trader Joe’s did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for additional comment.

As of time of publication, based on epidemiological information collected by CDC, 12 people have been infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium reported in seven states and linked to the Infinite Herbs organic basil.

“Seven of eight cases with information available reported exposure to fresh organic basil purchased from Trader Joe’s before becoming ill,” the FDA stated this week. “Additionally, traceback data collected by FDA determined that Infinite Herbs, LLC, in Miami, FL, was the supplier of the 2.5-oz packages of organic basil sold at Trader Joe’s stores.”

According to the CDC, most people infected with salmonella experience diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps, and symptoms typically begin six hours to six days after swallowing the bacteria.

Most people recover without treatment after four to seven days. But some — especially children younger than 5 years and adults 65 years and older, or people with weakened immune systems — may experience more severe illnesses that require medical treatment or hospitalization, the CDC states.

According to the FDA, Infinite Herbs, LLC is cooperating with the agency’s investigation and agreed to initiate the voluntary recall.

In a post on the company’s website, Infinite Herbs CEO Gregorio Berliavsky wrote, “I am heartbroken at the thought that any item we sold may have caused illness or discomfort. We simply will not rest until we can once again be confident in the safety of this product.”

He continued, “All farms we source from must comply with U.S. food safety regulations, meet buyer requirements, and submit documentation verifying food safety practices. We sourced the recalled basil from a single farm, which is no longer in production, and we are working with the farmer to conduct an internal investigation of the food safety practices. Through this investigation, our goal is to determine the cause of this recall and apply measures to prevent it from happening again.”

“Your safety and satisfaction are of utmost importance to us, and we deeply regret any concerns this may have caused,” he added.

According to Berliavsky, customers impacted by the recall may contact the company’s customer service team at 305-599-9255 (extension 148) Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET, or via email at customer_service@infiniteherbs.com.

The FDA and CDC investigation is ongoing to determine the source of contamination and whether additional products are linked to illnesses. The FDA said it would post updates via its online advisory.