Dietary Supplements Recalled Nationwide After 11 People Got Sick with Salmonella

Several dietary supplements containing the popular moringa leaf powder have been recalled after multiple consumers contracted Salmonella. 

Products manufactured using a single lot of recalled organic moringa leaf powder from Vallon Farmdirect of Johdpur, India, have been linked to at least 11 illnesses and three hospitalizations included in a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Cases have been reported in Florida, Kansas, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, and the affected products include Food to Live brand’s Organic Moringa Leaf Power (8-ounce, 1-pound, 2-pound, 4-pound, 8-pound, 16-pound, and 44-pound bags) and Organic Supergreens Power Mix (8-ounce, 1-pound, 1.5-pound, 3-pound, 6-pound, and 12-pound bags) with lot codes of SO-69006 through SO-72558.

Africa Import’s Organic Moringa Leaf Power (1-kilogram box) sold after June 5 is also affected, as are all Member’s Mark Super Greens dietary supplement powder products, regardless of lot codes and best by dates. 

The supplements were distributed nationwide through both retail and wholesale channels.

The FDA is now encouraging consumers and retailers to refrain from eating, selling or serving the recalled products and is instead urging that the products be thrown away, and that any surfaces or containers they may have touched be sanitized.

Salmonella is a group of bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal illness and fever called salmonellosis, according to the FDA.

Symptoms often begin to develop 12 to 72 hours after infection, and they may include diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, high fever, aches, headaches, lethargy, a rash and blood in the urine or stool. In some cases, it may become fatal. 

After illnesses were reported in October, the Virginia Department of Health collected an open sample of Africa Imports moringa leaf powder from an affected individual’s home.

It later tested positive for Salmonella, based on a whole-genome sequencing that matched the strain causing illnesses in the outbreak. 

After more products, including an open sample of Member’s Mark Super Greens dietary supplement powder, yielded similar results, retailers ceased distribution and sales of the products and issued the voluntary recall. 

According to the FDA, the investigation is ongoing and authorities are continuing to “determine what additional products were made with the implicated lot of moringa leaf powder.”

As more and more recalls happen, we have to be vigilant with our food safety.

Melinda