CDC Investigates Salmonella In Sprouted Chia Powder, Infecting 21 In Multiple States
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Wednesday an update to its warning about an ongoing Salmonella outbreak in the United States — now revealing that 21 people have been infected with the bacteria. No deaths have been reported.
Three different strains of Salmonella have been identified in the outbreak, which is thought to have originated from organic chia seed powder produced by Health Matters America Inc. of Cheektowaga, N.Y. The company voluntarily recalled the product on June 4. Two days later, Navitas Naturals recalled its products, and in some Canadian provinces, retailers are pulling their stocks of chia seed powder.
The breakdown of illnesses per state are: Arizona (1), California (3), Colorado (1), Connecticut (3), Florida (1), Massachusetts (1), Michigan (1), New York (4), Ohio (1), Utah (1), Washington (1), and Wisconsin (3).The CDC warned consumers that because chia seeds have such a long shelf-life, they may still be sitting in people’s kitchens and harmful to eat. The agency also recommended throwing the chia seeds away or returning them to where they were purchased.
Initial interviews with people who became infected suggest illnesses began between Jan. 21, 2014 and May 21, 2014. To date, all 16 people who were interviewed said they had eaten chia seeds or powder, and 11 out of 15 people who identified which type of chia product they consumed said specifically that it was chia powder.
Recent investigations have also discovered infections from E. coli in clover sprouts, the CDC announced Wednesday. Scientists analyzing the plant found it teeming with bacteria, mostly due to its warm and moist growing conditions. Some 17 people have been infected, and there have been zero deaths.