Ground Black Pepper Recalled May Be Contaminated with Salmonella

Ground black pepper that was shipped across the country, including Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee, has been recalled due to the potential of Salmonella contamination.

What Is Salmonella?

Salmonella is a harmful bacteria that can lead to severe infections, especially in young children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems. Even healthy individuals may experience symptoms such as fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea (which can be bloody), and abdominal pain if exposed to Salmonella.

Salmonella Symptom Onset

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms can begin anywhere from six hours to six days after exposure to the bacteria and in rare cases, can spread to the bloodstream, causing more critical conditions like arterial infections, endocarditis, and arthritis.

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Most people with Salmonella infection have diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. Symptoms usually begin six hours to six days after infection and last four to seven days. However, some people do not develop symptoms for several weeks after infection and others experience symptoms for several weeks. Salmonella strains sometimes cause infection in urine, blood, bones, joints, or the nervous system (spinal fluid and brain), and can cause severe disease. - CDC

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How is Salmonella Spread?

The Food and Drug Administration explains that there are a number of ways that salmonella can be spread including consuming undercooked food, improper food handling, and improper hand washing.

Salmonella are a group of bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal illness and fever called salmonellosis. Salmonella can be spread by food handlers who do not wash their hands and/or the surfaces and tools they use between food preparation steps, and when people eat raw or undercooked foods. Salmonella can also spread from animals to people. People who have direct contact with certain animals, including poultry and reptiles, can spread the bacteria from the animals to food if they do not practice proper hand washing hygiene before handling food. Pets can also spread the bacteria within the home environment if they eat food contaminated with Salmonella. - FDA

Fresh Start Produce Sales Inc. Product Recall

UBC Food Distributors is the Dearborn, Michigan company that is recalling its Ground Black Pepper that is sold under the brand name Baraka. The affected product is sold in 7 ounce plastic containers and bear the UPC code 8 22514 26626 6. The packages are marked with an expiration date of January 2026 and were shipped to retailers nationwide.

The potential for contamination was noted after the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) notified us of the contamination based on a routine state surveillance sample collected by the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets that tested positive for Salmonella the presence of Salmonella in some 7 ounce packages of Ground Black Pepper.

the FDA says that production of the product has been halted while they and UBC Food Distributors continue investigating the source of the problem.

If you have purchased a 7-ounce container of ground black pepper from this brand, you are urged to return it to the original place of purchase to receive a full refund. If you have any questions, you can contact the company by calling 313-846-8117 Monday to Friday between 9 am to 5 pm.

[SOURCE: FDA]