NH DHHS Advises Consumers Not to Eat Infinite Herbs Organic Basil Due to Risk of Salmonella Contamination

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Division of Public Health Services (DPHS) is advising consumers not to eat Infinite Herbs Organic Fresh Basil packed in 2.5-oz clamshells and sold at Traders Joe’s stores. There is a multistate outbreak of Salmonella infections linked to this brand of basil. 

Infinite Herbs Organic Basil was distributed to stores nationwide, including Trader Joe’s locations in Nashua, Newington, and Bedford, New Hampshire. There are no New Hampshire cases associated with the outbreak of Salmonella infections at this time. 

“As Salmonella bacteria can cause serious illness, it is best to throw out any potentially contaminated food rather than risk infection,” said Iain Watt, Interim DPHS Director. 

The recalled product has been voluntarily removed from stores and should no longer be available for sale. Consumers who have purchased Infinite Herbs Organic Basil should not eat the product and are urged to check their refrigerators and freezers for any stored product. 

Salmonella infection (salmonellosis) typically causes diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12-72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts 4-7 days, and most people recover without treatment. However, in some cases, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized and infection may spread to the blood stream and other body sites. In such cases, salmonellosis can lead to death unless the patient is treated promptly with antibiotics. Anyone who suspects they may have the illness should contact their healthcare provider.

For questions about salmonellosis, contact the NH Division of Public Health Services at 603-271-4496. For more information about the recall and outbreak investigation, visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration website.