Whole Foods Market is recalling organic raw hazelnuts (filberts) that were sold in bulk through its stores in California, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Washington because the hazelnuts were part of a batch that was contaminated with the Salmonella pathogen, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just announced.

Whole Foods is also recalling non-organic dry roasted hazelnuts (filberts) sold in bulk through its stores in California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington, as well as non-organic raw hazelnuts (filberts) sold in bulk through its stores in Oregon and Washington.

The potential for salmonella contamination was discovered during a routine product sampling at the plant where the hazelnuts were shelled. Although no illnesses have been reported, to date, these hazelnuts should not be consumed, said the FDA.

Whole Foods customers who purchased the recalled product since October 12 in the states listed may return the recalled hazelnuts for a full refund. Whole Foods can be reached at 512-542-0656 or at the firm’s Web site at www.wholefoods.com.

Last week we wrote that Willamette Shelling of Newberg, Oregon issued a recall of 114,350 pounds of Shelled Hazelnuts over possible Salmonella contamination. Willamette Filbert Growers, also of Newberg Oregon, issued a recall of 29,861 pounds of Shelled Hazelnuts and Shelled Organic Hazelnuts, for the same reason.

Yesterday, we wrote that three more recalls of hazelnuts were announced over potential Salmonella contamination:

• Harry and David voluntarily recalled raw, shelled hazelnut kernels that were sold at its Harry & David Country Village store located in Medford, Oregon. Evonuk Oregon Hazelnuts supplied the hazelnuts to Harry and David.

• Evonuk Oregon Hazelnuts of Eugene, Oregon recalled 6,712.5 pounds of raw and dry roasted hazelnut kernels.

• Kunze Farms of Dayton, Oregon recalled 32,950 pounds of hazelnut kernels distributed to several different processors and wholesaler’s in: Dayton, Oregon; Milton-Freewater, Oregon; Hauppauge, New York; Mesa, Arizona; Cottonwood, Arizona; Seattle, Washington; Ogden, Utah; San Antonio, Texas; and Parker, Colorado.

Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with the Salmonella pathogen 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.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009 at 8:36 am and is filed under Defective Products, Food Poisoning, Food Products, Product Recalls, Recalled Food Products, Salmonella.