On February 2, the CDC announced that they are investigating an outbreak of Salmonella Virchow associated with Raw Meal Organic Shake mix. The mix, which is produced by Garden of Life LLC, has sickened 11 people. Only one person has had to be hospitalized. These illnesses are spread across 9 states, including Minnesota with 2 cases, New Jersey with 2 cases, New Mexico with 1 case, Ohio with 1 case, Oklahoma with 1 case, Oregon with 1 case, Tennessee with 1 case, Utah with 1 case, and Wisconsin with 1 case.
On January 29th, Garden of Life LLC issued a voluntary recall for the contaminated shake mix. Four flavors of the mix have been affected by the recall, including Chocolate, Original, Vanilla, and Vanilla Chai. Affected products were distributed across the nation to a variety of retail stores, including health food stores as well as grocery stores. A full list of recalled products and Lot Numbers can be found here.
Health officials have recommended that all recalled shake mix be disposed of. If consumed, the contaminated mix may cause a Salmonella infection to develop over the next 12 to 72 hours. Salmonella infections present with symptoms including fever, abdominal cramping, vomiting, and diarrhea. People with certain risk factors, such as children, the elderly, and those with suppressed immune systems may have an increased chance of contracting Salmonella poisoning. Although many cases of Salmonella will go away on their own, it is still important to contact a medical professional if you or a loved one begin to show the symptoms of Salmonella poisoning.
