The FDA is reiterating its warning to consumers to avoid eating Achdut Tahini. Products made by Actdut Ltd., which is based in Israel, are linked to a Salmonella Concord outbreak that has sickened at least 5 people.
Achdut updated their recall on December 11, 2018, to include all brands of tahini products that were manufactured from April 7, 2018 to May 21, 2018. Most of the Achdut tahini brands have expiration dates of April 7, 2020 to May 21, 2020. One exception is for Baron’s brand tahini, with an expiration date of May 5, 2021. The tahini was sold through mail order and is available internationally in retail stores.
The brands of Achdut tahini that are recalled include Achva, Achdut, Soom, S&F, Baron’s, and Pepperwood. The product lot codes range from 18-097 to 18-141. Some of these brands may have labels written in Hebrew, or may lack specific expiration dates. If you aren’t sure if the tahini you purchased is part of the recall or not, throw it away.
The last illness onset date in this outbreak was October 18, 2018. The states where ill persons live are Hawaii, Michigan, and New York.
You can contact food safety attorney Fred Pritzker for help by calling 1-888-377-8900.
A sample of imported tahini that was collected by FDA officials at the point of import tested positive for Salmonella Concord. The tahini was Baron’s brand. The bacteria found in the tahini has the same genetic fingerprint as the bacteria taken from ill persons. The manufacturer was placed on an FDA Import Alert, which means that additional product will be detained at the border until the company can present evidence that it is not contaminated with pathogens.
The symptoms of a Salmonella infection include a fever, nausea, vomiting, stomach and abdominal cramps, and diarrhea that may be bloody. If you have eaten any of these brands of tahini and have been ill with these symptoms, see your doctor.
