If You Recently Bought Dried Parsley At Walmart, You'll Want To Read This
The world of organic parsley is in upheaval, ever since a customer tested a batch of the herb distributed by High Quality Organics and confirmed it to be contaminated with Salmonella (via the FDA). "Salmonella in parsley?" you're asking. Yes, answers scientific journal, Cell Press. Just like with animals (and eggs) Salmonella bacteria can latch onto the plants surface and infect their insides. That's exactly what happened earlier this year, when a batch of Californian-grown onions were infected with Salmonella, an outbreak which, according to the CDC, sickened 1,127 people and caused 167 hospitalizations across 48 states. Salmonella poisoning, the FDA warns, can lead to fever, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain. In more serious cases, it can cause arterial infections, endocarditis, and arthritis; in especially serious cases, Salmonella can even lead to death.
Chances are you haven't purchased parsley directly from High Quality Organics — to do so, you'd have to order 100 pounds at a time (via High Quality Organics). But not having purchased directly from High Quality Organics doesn't mean you're in the clear. If you've bought parsley at Walmart, for example, some of your spices may be affected.
Which brands are affected by the spice recall?
Many of our preferred spice brands may buy their parsley in bulk from High Quality Organics, and since High Quality Organics issued their parsley recall, so too has The Spice Hunter (for 29 of its spices) and, most recently, Red Monkey Foods (for seven of its spices) according to Penn Live. You may have picked up some of these spices off the shelves at your local Walmart. In Penn Live's report on The Spice Hunter's recall, the outlet states the brand is recalling products with lot codes 20217C, 20220C, 20269C, and 20270C, which includes a variety of spices such as its organic parsley, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, Mexican seasoning, cinnamon, black pepper, cayenne red pepper, and Chinese ginger. Eat This, Not That! states that Red Monkey Foods, on the other hand, is recalling the Walmart brand Great Value Herbes De Provence Organic and Great Value Organic Parsley Flakes. In addition, the company is recalling the same items listed under the Cost Plus World Market brand, the O Organics brand, and Full Circle's organic parsley.
To date, the FDA has yet to receive a Salmonella-related complaint from customers of The Spice Hunter or Red Monkey Foods products, however, if you find one of these spices in your pantry, do not use it. Instead, return it to the store of purchase for a full refund. If you suspect you've been infected with Salmonella after consuming these or other products, seek medical help immediately, and report your illness to local health authorities.