It's a popular item on holiday grocery lists, but officials now warn of a risk due to "potential contamination with Salmonella."
Beyond its role as a secret star of Thanksgiving cooking (fans of stuffing or dressing know what we’re talking about), parsley also supplies nutrients such as iron and vitamin C, according to Piedmont Healthcare—and it even contains properties helpful in fighting cancer. But before you plan your holiday menu, you’ll want to heed a recent warning from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) involving this humble herb.
According to its November 7 report, the FDA says that 474 cases of parsley from Pacific Fresh Vegetables have been recalled in eight states: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Minnesota, Michigan, Nevada, and Ohio. The herb may be contaminated with Salmonella, a bacteria capable of causing serious or even fatal infection, according to the FDA. Reflecting that risk, the agency has now classified the event under its highest warning level: Class I. This suggests that exposure to the product could “cause serious adverse health consequences or death.”
The problem was first discovered after an October 6 product test came back positive for Salmonella. In an October 28 announcement of the incident, the FDA reported that the product, which was shipped to wholesalers between the dates of September 22 and September 25, was likely no longer available to consumers unless “the product is frozen.” As of October 28, no illnesses had been reported.
The recall notice indicates that it was the company’s conventional Italian flat parsley—not organic or curly parsley—that was implicated in the recall. The affected items were distributed in plastic bags and zip-tied bunches by Dynasty Farms of Salinas, California, doing business as Pacific International Marketing.
Other identifying factors, which can reportedly be found on the bags and the zip-tie labels, include:
- UPC Codes: 40695 80125, 40695 80120
- PLU: #4901
- Lot Number: 25SAFPRIS56
Additional details, including carton and sticker label information, can be found at the above FDA link.
The majority of people who contract salmonellosis—the infection caused by Salmonella—develop mild to moderate symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. “More severe cases of salmonellosis may include a high fever, aches, headaches, lethargy, a rash, blood in the urine or stool, and in some cases may become fatal,” the FDA writes, adding that 450 persons in the U.S. die each year from acute salmonellosis.
In its earlier notice, the FDA suggested that any consumers with the recalled product on hand “should discard it or return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.” Additionally, any businesses that received the parsley were reportedly already notified.
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