Supplements urgently recalled as 11 people fall ill
An urgent, nationwide recall for several popular dietary supplements has been initiated after three consumers were hospitalised and 11 more reported illness.
On 13 November, the Food and Drug Administration announced it was working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local partners to investigate various products linked to a salmonella outbreak.
Four products have been recalled to quell the illness, which the Virginia Department of Health first investigated in October.
These products include two Food To Live items, a kilogram box of Organic Moringa Leaf Powder sold via Africa Imports’ website after 5 June, and all Member’s Mark Super Greens dietary supplement powder bought from Sam’s Clubs, regardless of lot codes and best by/use before dates.
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It’s understood all of these products were manufactured using a single lot (Batch No.: VFD/ORG/MORP/L/24 with the best by date [BBD] of November 2027) of recalled organic moringa leaf powder from Vallon Farmdirect PVT LTD of Johdpur, India, as per an agency notice.
The lot is linked to current cases of Salmonella, reported in Florida, Kansas, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.
Anyone in possession of Organic Moringa Leaf Powder, Member’s Mark Super Greens, as well as Food to Live Organic Moringa Leaf Powder (8-ounce, 1-pound, 2-pound, 4-pound, 8-pound, 16-pound, and 44-pound bags), is also encouraged not to consume or serve the recalled product.
Food To Live Organic Supergreens Power Mix (8-ounce, 1-pound, 1.5-pound, 3-pound, 6-pound, and 12-pound bags) is another potentially compromised product.
Both Food To Live items can be identified by lot codes of SO-69006 through SO-72558, the FDA reported.
Experts state you should dispose of these items, or you can return them to the place of purchase.
Both Food To Life products have been shipped to customers across the United States. They have also been available to purchase on e-commerce platforms, including Amazon, Walmart, Target, Etsy, and eBay.
Bulk quantities were also sold through Food To Live’s wholesale division.
Consumers and retailers are advised to carefully clean and sanitize any surfaces or containers that they touch.
The FDA is reportedly ‘working to determine the point of contamination and what additional products were made with the implicated lot of moringa leaf powder.’
The mass product recall comes as 11 people reported Salmonella infection.
Young children, older adults, and people with certain health conditions such as HIV, sickle cell disease, cancer, or organ transplant are at greater risk, as per Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Symptoms are likely to develop between 12 and 72 hours after infection.
Although everyone’s symptoms manifest differently, some of the more common include diarrhoea, fever, nausea or vomiting, and chills.
Gastrointestinal Salmonella infections often run their course in four to seven days.
You should contact your healthcare provider if your symptoms get worse or you get new symptoms.
Ella Scott