The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning regarding a product that has been voluntarily recalled as a precaution due to a potential contamination issue.
On January 23, the FDA announced that Navitas Organics is in the process of voluntarily recalling certain lots of its ‘8oz Organic Chia Seeds’.
The chia seeds have been distributed through various Whole Foods Market retail locations and online platforms, including Amazon.
While the FDA has not specified which exact stores carried the seeds, the potential contamination risk is associated with the chia seeds packaged in sealed stand-up pouches.
You may wonder how to identify a potentially problematic packet and what the consequences might be if consumed.
The FDA’s release specifies that the recall affects the following items:
If you find any of the mentioned lot numbers on your packet of seeds, the release advises against consuming them.
Instead, it suggests customers should ‘open the bag, discard the chia seeds, and dispose of the bag in a way that it cannot be used again’.
The concern arises from ‘possible Salmonella contamination’.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, Salmonella infection leads to symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps.
In the United States, Salmonella is the most common bacterial food poisoning. While it typically resolves on its own within a few days, severe cases may require hospitalization and can be fatal. Nonetheless, out of the millions of Salmonella cases annually in the U.S., only 420 result in death.
However, Navitas Organics has stated through the FDA’s release that there have been ‘no reports of Salmonella in [their] product at this time, nor have any illnesses or adverse medical events been reported or identified’.
“No other Navitas Organics products are affected by this recall,” the company notes.
Additionally, the CEO of Navitas Organics has addressed the situation.
Ira Haber, the CEO of Navitas Organics, stated: “Navitas has provided Organic Chia Seeds to our customers for more than 20 years. Providing safe, healthy food for our customers is why we have been in business this long and it’s why we are recalling this product today.”
“The company is working closely with FDA on this issue. We apologize to our customers for any inconvenience caused by this recall,” he added.
Consumers may also return the product to the original point of purchase for a refund.
Requests for further comments have been made to Navitas Organics, Amazon, and Whole Foods Market.