Check Your Cumin: FDA Recall Affects Product Sold in 16 States

Michigan-based Lipari Foods has voluntarily recalled its six-ounce plastic tubs of ground cumin, due to potential Salmonella contamination. According to a safety alert from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) the potentially affected products were distributed to retailers in 16 states.

The FDA shared photos of the recalled cumin, and it was sold in plastic tubs with a white label that simply states “Ground Cumin,” “Product of India," and “Distributed by Lipari Foods.” The lot number is 220914601, the UPC code is 094776212620, and it has an expiration date of 09/2024. The cumin was sold in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Lipari Foods explained that it was alerted to the potentially contaminated products by the FDA and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) after a sample of the ground cumin tested positive for Salmonella. “We are working closely with the FDA to ensure that all affected product has been pulled from commerce,” the company said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1.35 million people are infected with Salmonella every year in the United States, and the bacteria causes an average of 26,500 hospitalizations and 420 deaths annually.

The most common signs of a Salmonella infection are diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. Symptoms typically develop anywhere between six hours and six days after an infection, and they may last between four and seven days. (The agency adds that some people may not develop symptoms for several weeks and, in some cases, the infection may last several weeks.)

As of this writing, there have not been any illnesses connected to the ground cumin, but anyone who has purchased one of these six-ounce tubs should not be consumed. Any customer who has questions regarding the recall is encouraged to call Lipari Foods Customer Service at 800-729-3354.