Salmonella

Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Infections Linked to Organic Sprouted Chia Powder (Final Update)

This outbreak appears to be over. However, Salmonella is an important cause of human illness in the United States. More information about Salmonella, and steps people can take to reduce their risk of infection, can be found on the CDC Salmonella Web Page.

Recalls

The recalled products below were available for purchase in many retail stores nationwide and online. Consumers who have purchased these items are urged to not eat the products, and to throw them away or return them to the store where they were originally purchased.

JULY 1, 2014 ORIYA ORGANICS RECALL

On July 1, 2014, Oriya Organics, LLC, voluntarily recalled Oriya Organics Superfood Protein Medley which contains organic sprouted chia seed powder due to possible health risks related to Salmonella contamination. The recalled products were sold to retailers in Texas and Louisiana, and sold directly to customers through the internet in Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, New York, and Virginia. The recalled products include:

Oriya Organics Superfood Protein Medley

Find the recalled sizes, UPC codes, and lot numbers here.
Pictures of the recall products are available.

JUNE 26, 2014 HEALTH MATTERS AMERICA EXPANDED RECALL

On June 26, 2014, Health Matters America, Inc., expanded its voluntary recall to include more lot numbers and other products that contain chia seeds due to possible Salmonella contamination. The recalled products were distributed nationally and include the following products:

Organic Traditions Sprouted Chia Seed Powder
Organic Traditions Sprouted Chia and Flax Seed Powder
Organic Traditions Chia Seeds
Organic Traditions Ultimate Superfood Trailmix

Find the recalled sizes, UPC codes, and lot numbers here.

JUNE 6, 2014 NAVITAS NATURALS EXPANDED RECALL

On June 6, 2014, Navitas Naturals expanded its voluntary recall to include additional expiration dates of products containing organic sprouted chia powder due to the possible presence of Salmonella. The recalled products were distributed nationally and include the following products:

Navitas Naturals Organic Sprouted Chia Powder
Navitas Naturals Omega Blend Sprouted Smoothie Mix
Williams-Sonoma Omega 3 Smoothie Mixer

Find the recalled sizes, UPC codes, and best by dates here.
Pictures of the additional recalled products are available.

JUNE 5, 2014 GREEN SMOOTHIE GIRL RECALL

On June 5, 2014, Green Smoothie Girl voluntarily recalled two products that contain organic sprouted chia powder due to possible health risks related to Salmonella contamination. The recalled products include:

Green Smoothie Girl Sprouted Ground TriOmega Superfood (silver pouch)
Green Smoothie Girl Sprouted Ground TriOmega Superfood (gold pouch)

Find the recalled sizes, UPC codes, and best by dates here.
Pictures of the recalled products are available.

JUNE 4, 2014 HEALTH MATTERS AMERICA RECALL

On June 4, 2014, Health Matters America, Inc., recalled products that contain sprouted chia seed powder and sprouted chia/flax seed powder due to possible Salmonella contamination. The recalled products include specific lots of the following products:

Organic Traditions Sprouted Chia Seed Powder
Organic Traditions Sprouted Chia and Flax Seed Powder

Find the recalled sizes, UPC codes, and lot numbers here.
Pictures of the recalled products are available.

MAY 28, 2014 NAVITAS NATURALS RECALL

On May 28, 2014, Navitas Naturals recalled products that contain organic sprouted chia powder due to possible Salmonella contamination. The recalled products include:

Navitas Naturals Organic Sprouted Chia Powder
Navitas Naturals Omega Blend Sprouted Smoothie Mix
Williams-Sonoma Omega 3 Smoothie Mixer

Find the recalled sizes, UPC codes, and lot numbers here.
Pictures of the recalled products are available.

CANADIAN RECALLS

Several recalls of products containing chia powder and chia seeds have been announced by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Some of these products were available for purchase online. CDC recommends that you check your home for any of these products and do not eat them.

Advice to Consumers, Retailers, and Others

This outbreak appears to be over. However, these products have a long shelf life and may still be in people’s homes. Consumers unaware of the recall could continue to eat the products and potentially get sick.

Consumers should check to see if they have the recalled products in their homes.
Consumers who purchased the recalled products should not eat them and should throw away any remaining products or return them to the store where they were purchased.
The recalled products were available for purchase in many retail stores nationwide and online.

What to do if you have any of the recalled products containing chia in your home:

Throw away the product immediately or return it to the store where it was purchased.
Even if some of the product has been eaten without anyone becoming ill, the rest of the product should be thrown away.
The product should be thrown away in a closed plastic bag and placed in a sealed trash can. This will prevent other people or animals from eating it.

Contaminated products containing chia may make people sick.

CDC recommends that consumers do not eat any of the recalled products.
- This is especially important for children under the age of 5 years, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems.
Consumers should know the symptoms of Salmonella infection:
- Symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection.
- The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most persons recover without treatment.
- See Signs and Symptoms for more information.
Persons who think they might have become ill from eating the recalled products should talk to their health care providers.