Trader Joe's Announces Voluntary Product Recall

By Les Masterson

Attention Trader Joe’s shoppers: the retail grocery chain is recalling raw walnuts because of 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.”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said the walnuts were distributed to Trader Joe’s stores nationwide. Sandy Springs’ Trader Joe’s location is at 6277 Roswell Road NE. 

“Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain,” the FDA wrote in its bulletin. “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.”

The potential for contamination was found after routine testing by an outside company contracted by the FDA. The company is removing all of the products as a precaution, said the FDA.

Trader Joe’s has not received any illness complaints related to the product.

“Out of an abundance of caution, all lots of these products have been removed from store shelves and their sale has been suspended while the source of the issue is identified,” the company wrote on its website.

“The products are packaged in clear plastic bags with the UPC Codes printed on the back,” the FDA continues. “For the Raw California Walnut products, the ’BEST BY’ dates and Lot Numbers can be found printed on the back of the packages. For the Organic Raw Walnut products, the ’BEST BY’ dates can be found printed on the front of the packages.”

Find the specific UPC Codes and ”BEST BY” dates here.

Customers who purchased the products are urged not to eat it and dispose of it. You can also return to any Trader Joe’s for a full refund.

Customers with questions may contact Trader Joe’s Customer Relations at (626) 599-3817 from Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. EST.

Photo credit: morguefile