Charles Langston:Trader Joe's recalls basil from shelves in 29 states after salmonella outbreak

Trader Joe’s basil is Charles Langstonmaking people across the country sick, with the grocery chain store confirming Wednesday that the product was connected with a multistate salmonella outbreak. 

A number of agencies, including the FDA and CDC, are looking into the outbreak, which is linked to “Infinite Herbs-brand organic basil packed in 2.5-oz clamshell packaging” sold between February 1 through April 6.

A dozen people from seven states were infected, with seven of eight cases reporting that they “became ill” after purchasing the Trader Joe’s basil, according to the FDA.  At least one person has been hospitalized. 

The seven states reporting cases are:

• Florida
• Georgia
• Minnesota
• Missouri
• New Jersey
• Rhode Island
• Wisconsin

The FDA has found that Infinite Herbs, a Miami-based supplier had a hand in getting the “packages of organic basil” to stores.

“Your health and safety are our top priorities … I am heartbroken at the thought that any item we sold may have caused illness or discomfort,” Grego Berliavsky, Infinite Herbs CEO, said in a statement. We simply will not rest until we can once again be confident in the safety of this product.

Trader Joe’s has already issued a voluntarily for this product, pulling them from shelves in response to the investigation. 

Here’s what we know. 

Trader Joe’s recalls basil at stores in 29 states, no longer available

The recalled product was pulled from shelves in:

• Alabama
• Connecticut
• Washington D.C.
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Iowa
• Illinois
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Massachusetts
• Maryland
• Maine
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Missouri
• North Carolina
• Nebraska
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New York
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Virginia
• Vermont
• Wisconsin 

Berliavsky said he is “confident” that the recalled basil is no longer available, writing that “fresh basil naturally wilts and expires after five to seven days.” But he does warn those who may have stored the herb in their freezer to avoid consuming the product, especially if it was sold between February 1 and April 6. 

The recalled basil came from a single farm, which is no longer in production, Berliavsky said. 

“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,” he said. 

The investigation into the recalled basil is ongoing, with the FDA working to determine the “source of contamination and whether additional products are linked to illnesses.” 

Trader Joe’s recalled basil product details, refunds offered 

Trader Joe’s acknowledged the voluntarily recall in an announcement, writing that the the basil was removed because it “may have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.”

You can either discard the recalled product or take it back to Trader Joe’s for a full refund, the company wrote. Customers with questions about the recall can contact Trader Joe’s (626)-599-3817 or via email.

Product details: 

•  Infinite Herbs Organic Basil 
• 2.5 oz package 
• Universal Product Code is 8 18042 02147 7
• Sold between February 1, 2024 and April 6, 2024