Miravalle brand Achiote Molido Ground Annatto spice in 0.75-ounce packages are being recalled for possible Salmonella contamination after product testing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). No illnesses have yet been associated with the recalled product.
El Monte, CA-based Miravalle Foods Inc. said the recalled 0.75-ounce packages of Ground Annatto were distributed in retail stores in California, Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Nevada, Washington and Oregon. Spice production has been suspended while FDA, California Department of Public Health, and Miravalle Foods continue their investigation as to the source of the problem. The product comes in a clear plastic package marked with lot #0015 & #0018 on the top of the UPC number (712810005020). Salmonella is a pathogen that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, mostly in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems. Otherwise healthy persons infected with Salmonella may 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 (e.g., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis. Consumers who have purchased 0.75-ounce packages of Ground Annatto with those lot numbers may return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.
