Black Pepper Recalled for Potential Salmonella Risk

Gel Spice Company Inc., of Bayonne, NJ, has issued a voluntary recall notice for 16,443 cases of Fresh Finds Ground Black Pepper in 3.53-oz. plastic jars because it has the possibility to be contaminated with Salmonella.

The product was distributed nationwide via Big Lots Retail Stores Inc., with the exception of Alaska and Hawaii. The recall was issued as the result of sampling by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which revealed that the finished products contained the bacteria.

There are 16,443 cases of the recalled product sold in 3.53-oz. (100 g) plastic jars with Best By Dates of 6/30/17, 7/01/17, 7/02/17, 7/22/17 and 7/23/17, with the Fresh Finds brand label with UPC Code 4 11010 98290 1 is sold exclusively at Big Lots Retail Stores Inc. The Best By dates are printed on the neck of the bottle above the label.

There have been no reported illnesses related to this product to date.

Anyone who has the recalled product should dispose of it. No other size container or best-by dates of Fresh Finds Ground Black Pepper are affected by this recall.

For more information, contact the company at (718) 702-1532 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT Monday through Friday.

Salmonella bacteria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (e.g., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

from Food Safety News » Food Recalls http://ift.tt/1qHm6qv