Garden of Life provided the label sample on the left to the FDA for posting with its recall notice. As the outbreak linked via DNA to its “Raw Meal” powders spread across the country, the company redesigned its labels and added a word to the product name, as shown on the right.
It is out with those Raw Meal Organic Shake & Meal products and in with the “new” shake and meal replacement powders called “Raw Organic Meal.”
They’re certified USDA Organic and NON-GMO Project Verified, according to the Palm Beach Gardens, FL-based Garden of Life LLC, according to a company news release.
The news from Garden of Life about the new name and new labels for the powders came out the same day the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated details on the multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Virchow infections that since Feb. 2 have been known to be associated with the Florida manufacturer’s Raw Meal shake and meal powders.
As of March 21, the CDC reports 27 people across 20 states with confirmed cases of Salmonella Virchow infections matching the outbreak strain found in organic Garden of Life Raw Meal shake and meal replacement powders.
It’s an unusual move for a food manufacturer to change the name and labeling of a product during an ongoing outbreak that caused the product to be recalled.
The CDC reports that as of March 21 it has added nine more people in eight states to the outbreak case count, raising the total number of infections to 27 in 20 states. Five of the victims have required hospitalizations. No deaths have yet been associated with the Garden of Life outbreak.
In its Thursday update, CDC again urged consumers not to eat the product, which has a long shelve life and may still be in people’s homes. It also warned retailers not to sell the Garden of Life Raw Meal Organic Shake & Meal Products.
Garden of Life recalled the product in chocolate, original, vanilla, and vanilla chia flavors beginning on Jan. 29, later expanding the recall. People holding the product are advised to throw it away even if part of it has been eaten without apparent adverse effects.
Garden of Life products are sold throughout the nation, both online and in retail outlets.
The latest states with confirmed cases in the outbreak are Alabama, California, Hawaii, Michigan and West Virginia. The victims range in age from 1 to 84 years, with a medium age of 35. Females account for 56 percent of the victims.
Illnesses that have occurred after Feb. 28 might not be reported yet. It takes two to four weeks for an illnesses to be confirmed and included in the CDC’s outbreak summaries.
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