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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are investigating an outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium linked to a brand of basil sold at Trader Joe’s stores in Kentucky, 28 other states and the District of Columbia.

The infection appears in Infinite Herbs-brand organic basil packed in 2.5-oz clamshell packaging, and thus far, based on epidemiological information collected by CDC, a total of 12 people from seven states have been affected by the outbreak strain of Salmonella. Those states are Florida, Georgia, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Wisconsin. No cases have been reported in Kentucky.

There have been no deaths reported thus far, and only one case has required hospitalization, according to the FDA.

Seven of eight cases with information available reported exposure to fresh organic basil purchased from Trader Joe’s before becoming ill. Additionally, traceback data collected by FDA determined that Infinite Herbs, LLC, in Miami, FL, was the supplier of the 2.5-oz packages of organic basil sold at Trader Joe’s stores.

In response to this investigation, Trader Joe’s has voluntarily removed all Infinite Herbs-brand organic basil packed in 2.5-oz clamshell packaging from their stores and this product should no longer be available for sale. A picture of the packaging accompanies this story.

The FDA recommends:

–Consumers who purchased organic basil from Trader Joe’s stores should check their refrigerators and freezers and should not eat 2.5-oz packages of Infinite Herbs-brand organic basil.

–If you bought organic basil from Trader Joe’s and removed it from the packaging or froze it and cannot tell if it was Infinite Herbs-brand, do not eat or use it and throw it away.

–Follow FDA’s safe handling and cleaning advice and use extra care in cleaning and sanitizing any surfaces and containers that may have come in contact with this product to reduce the risk of cross-contamination

–Contact your healthcare provider if you think you may have symptoms of a Salmonella infection after eating the 2.5-oz packages of Infinite Herbs-brand organic basil from Trader Joe’s stores.