Read This If You Have Any Jule's Foods Products In Your Kitchen
Jule's Foods is a small maker of vegan cheeses and other dips and spreads. The company was founded by fine dining veterans Jules Van Dam and Stefen Janke shortly after Van Dam was diagnosed and treated for Stage 4 colorectal cancer in 2014, and the two decided to adopt a plant-based diet for a healthier lifestyle (via Jule's Foods). The vegan supplier incorporates fair trade, organic cashews into its cheeses, dips, and dressings, using "cheese making techniques from around the world" — and then aging the products up to 3 weeks — which they say leads to more complex flavors and textures. Among its offerings are a classic vegan brie, a truffle vegan brie, a black garlic vegan brie, artichoke spinach vegan dip, and vegan ranch dressing.
Unfortunately, on April 22, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that Jule's Foods voluntarily recalled every item of food currently for sale due to a possible contamination with Salmonella (via the FDA).
Here's what you need to know about the Jule's Foods recall
The California Department of Public Health identified an outbreak of Salmonella Duisburg, a rare type, among five people in multiple states and found that the food product most of them had in common was Jule's Foods Truffle Cashew Brie (via the FDA). Subsequent investigation and testing by the FDA and CDC confirmed the presence of Salmonella. Pending the results of further analysis, including determining whether the type of Salmonella in Jule's Foods products matches the outbreak strain, the Carlsbad, California-based company suspended production and issued a voluntary recall of all its products. Since Jule's dips and dressings have not been implicated in the outbreak, their recall represents a precautionary measure.
According to the announcement found on the FDA's website, Jule's Foods products were distributed mostly to small, independent grocery stores in the states of Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas and also to those that ordered direct from the food company's website.
Salmonella is a food-borne illness presenting as gastrointestinal distress and fever within 12 to 72 hours after consuming contaminated food. Most people recover without treatment, but in rare cases, more severe illness may occur. If you have any Jule's Foods products, you should dispose of the product or return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.