1,643-Case Cilantro Recall: Possible Health Risk

Fresco Green Farms Inc. of Winchester, Calif., is recalling 1,643 cases of Cilantro harvested from July 18 to July 27, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems, according to a press release from the FDA.

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 (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis. Consumers who believe they have purchased the affected cilantro should dispose of it and it should not be consumed. 

The cilantro was on store shelves in California and Minnesota beginning July 19, and likely sold or removed from sale before Aug. 6. There have been no illnesses reported. The cilantro is bunched and tied together with a brown rubber band. Each bunch has the following dimensions; 10 inches of length and 1 ¼ width. The individual bunches have no identifying labels or lot numbers.

They were distributed in shipping cases labeled “Fresco Green Farms Inc., Hemet, CA. Produce of USA cilantro 2.5 ounces." Consumers who may have purchased the cilantro should contact the store where they purchased it to determine whether the cilantro was included in the recall. 

The recall was as the result of a routine sampling program by the USDA, which revealed that the cilantro harvested from July 18 to July 27 has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Fresco Green Farm is taking this matter as high priority and has made extreme quality control measures to identify if any cilantro is contaminated prior to shipping to distributors and retail markets.

Consumers whom have concerns may contact Fresco Green Farms Inc. at (562) 205-7673 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.