Trader Joe’s recalls raw cashews for potential salmonella

The supermarket chain Trader Joe’s is recalling bags of raw cashews sold in Maine and other states because of concerns about salmonella contamination.

In a statement released Monday, the company said the recall affects packages of Trader Joe’s Raw Cashew Pieces with a barcode number of 00505154 and a “best before” date of “07.17.2016TF4.” The company said no illnesses have been reported to date but that all of the products have been removed from store shelves after the unnamed supplier reported there was a possibility of contamination with salmonella.

Trader Joe's is urging customers to throw out or return packages of Trader Joe's Raw Cashew Pieces with a barcode number of 00505154 and a "best before" date of "07.17.2016TF4."

“If you purchased any Trader Joe’s Raw Cashew Pieces with the specified lot code … please do not eat it,” the company said in a statement. “We urge you to discard the product or to return it to any Trader Joe’s for a full refund.”

The product was distributed to Trader Joe’s stores in: Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington, D.C., and Wisconsin.

Salmonella is a bacteria that can cause severe diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever between 12 and 72 hours after exposure. The illness, salmonellosis, typically lasts between four and seven days, with most infected individuals recovering without treatment. But an estimated 19,000 individuals are hospitalized and 380 people die each year because of salmonella infections, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The elderly, infants and individuals with compromised immune systems are most at risk of developing severe cases after exposure to salmonella.

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