Trader Joe’s Recalls Fresh Basil in 29 States and Washington, D.C. Due to Salmonella Outbreak

Perhaps you should pass on the pesto this week.

Trader Joe’s, the California-based supermarket chain, voluntarily issued a recall of fresh basil after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found a link between certain shipments of the herb and a multistate salmonella outbreak. 

The affected product — packaged in a 2.5-ounce plastic clamshell bearing the label “Infinite Herbs” — was sold between February 1 and April 6. The grocer stopped shipment on April 12, and the contaminated product is past its expiration date and should no longer be available on shelves. But customers who believe they may be in possession of the basil purchased during the recall window are encouraged to check for the following details:

UPC code: 8 18042 02147 7  
Product Origin: Colombia

In addition to Washington, D.C., the potentially tainted herbs were sold across 29 states including Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

According to the CDC, a dozen people in seven states have become ill after consuming Trader Joe’s Infinite Herbs fresh basil, with one reported hospitalization. Those states include Florida, Georgia, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin.

Beyond the affected basil, Infinite Herbs — Trader Joe’s Miami-based supplier — issued an expanded recall on April 19 to include the 2-ounce and 4-ounce packages of Melissa’s brand organic fresh basil sold at Dierbergs Markets in Illinois and Missouri between February 10 and February 20. 

“Your health and safety are our top priorities, and we take matters like these very seriously,” Gregorio Berliavsky, Infinite Herbs’ CEO, said in a statement. “We sourced the recalled basil from a single farm, which is no longer in production, and we are working with the farmer to conduct an internal investigation of the food safety practices. Through this investigation, our goal is to determine the cause of this recall and apply measures to prevent it from happening again.” 

Salmonella infections, also known as salmonellosis, can have an incubation period of six hours to six days, per the Mayo Clinic. Symptoms — which last between a few days and a week — may include diarrhea, fever, nausea, vomiting, chills, headaches, bloody stools, and increased body temperature. Consumers who have symptoms should contact their healthcare provider immediately and should report the condition to the FDA through a local consumer complaint coordinator.

Consumers with further questions may contact Infinite Herbs via its customer service team at (305) 599-9255 x 148, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time, or via email at customer_service@infiniteherbs.com. Additionally, they may contact Trader Joe’s customer relations team at (626) 599-3817 or return any contaminated product in-store for a full refund.