The two recalled products are:
• Deep Sprouted Mat 16 oz. package, with a lot code printed on the back of 24330, 25072, 25108, 24353, 25171, 24297, 25058, 25078, 24291, 25107, 24354, or 24292.
• Deep Sprouted Moong 16 oz. package, with a lot code printed on the back of 24330, 25072, 25108, 24353, 25171, 24297, 25058, 25078, 24291, 25107, 24354, or 24292.
Any consumer with recalled products in their fridge or freezer can return them to the retailer where they were purchased for a full refund, or throw them away. Wash any surfaces that may have touched the recalled beans using hot soapy water or a dishwasher.
People who became ill were located in Connecticut (1), Florida (1), Illinois (1), Massachusetts (2), Minnesota (1), New Jersey (1), Pennsylvania (1), Tennessee (1), Virginia (1), and Washington state (1).
The actual number of illnesses may be much higher, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, since many people may become sick with salmonella but recover on their own. It also takes three to four weeks to link a sick person to an outbreak, so more recent illnesses may not yet be reported.
The manufacturer, Chetak LLC, said salmonella was found during routine product testing by the FDA. The agency, along with the CDC, linked the recalled foods to the illnesses through laboratory and epidemiological evidence.
This is a common way outbreaks are detected, says James E. Rogers, PhD, director of food safety and testing. When a person has become seriously ill and seeks medical attention, they may be tested for foodborne illness, says Rogers.
If a test for a foodborne pathogen is positive, state health officials share results with the CDC and collect information, including details about the foods the sick person recently ate. “After that, researchers try to match the bacteria’s DNA ‘fingerprint’ to other confirmed cases, which could be spread across multiple states,” says Rogers.
The company said it has suspended distribution of the products while the investigation is ongoing.
A person reached at Chetak LLC declined to respond to CR’s questions and instead referred to the FDA announcement, saying, “the FDA is forcing all these decisions.”
Anyone with questions may contact the manufacturer, Chetak LLC, at 908-209-8878.
