Salmonella-Contaminated Cilantro Potentially Sold Locally

Fresh cilantro recently sold at two Stillwater grocery stores may be contaminated with Salmonella and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture is encouraging people to not eat it.

and are the two locally-affected stores. Other stores throughout the area also sold the potentially contaminated cilantro.

In a press release, the MDA advises consumers who have purchased the cilantro bunches to not consume them and to throw them out or return them to the store where purchased for a refund.

The Salmonella was found during routine testing by the agriculture department and while there has been no confirmed illnesses reported because of the contamination, all retail stores that received this cilantro have been notified to remove this product from store shelves.

This advisory applies only to cilantro shipped to the stores within the July 26-August 6 time frame. People are also encouraged to be aware of Salmonella poisoning symptoms – which include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain in otherwise health people.

Most commonly Salmonella is most dangerous to very young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems because it can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections.