Trader Joe's has recalled fresh basil sold in 29 states and Washington, D.C., after a federal investigation linked the product to a dozen cases of salmonella infection in seven states.
So far, one patient among the 12 affected has been hospitalized, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
The grocery chain has removed the product from its shelves, but Trader Joe's warned customers to check their kitchens for the Infinite Herbs-brand organic basil sold between Feb. 1 and April 6 — and throw it out. Customers can also return the recalled basil for a full refund, the company said.
The product was packaged in 2.5-oz clamshell containers and sold in the District of Columbia along with the following states: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin.
The 12 salmonella cases tied to the recalled basil are in Florida, Georgia, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Wisconsin, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The FDA traced these cases back to the Infinite Herbs-branded organic basil after seven of the eight patients with "information available" told federal investigators they had been exposed to Trader Joe's basil before getting sick.
The supplier, Infinite Herbs LLC, is based in Miami. The supplier is cooperating with investigators, the FDA said.
If a customer removed their Trader Joe's basil from its packaging to freeze it and they aren't sure if it's been recalled, the CDC recommended they play it safe. Don't eat it, throw it out, and then clean all the surfaces it touched.
Salmonella illness and symptoms can occur 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. The infection can cause diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps. It can also inflict severe infections in children under five, the elderly, and people with weak immune systems. If you have symptoms, contact your doctor, the FDA said.
The federal investigation into the salmonella outbreak is ongoing, according to the FDA. It's still looking for additional cases and sources of salmonella. The latest salmonella infection within this investigation started on April 2.
