Trader Joe’s is recalling five types of raw walnuts after the grocery chain learned those batches may be tainted with the salmonella, a potentially deadly germ, the company announced Tuesday.
No customers to date have reported any illnesses linked to the recalled walnuts, Trader Joe's said in a statement on its website.
"Out of an abundance of caution, all lots of these products have been removed from store shelves and their sale has been suspended while the source of the issue is identified," the company's statement reads.
Most of the recalled walnuts contain "best by" dates of December 2015 and are packaged in clear plastic bags.
They include: Trader Joe’s Nuts Raw California Walnut Pieces (16 ounces); Trader Joe’s Nuts Raw California Walnut Halves & Pieces (16 ounces); Trader Joe’s Nuts Raw California Walnut Baking Pieces (16 ounces); Trader Joe’s Nuts Raw California Premium Walnut Halves (16 ounces); and Trader Joe’s Organic Raw Walnut Halves & Pieces (12 ounces) - and with "best buy" dates spanning Oct. 15, 2015 through Dec. 1, 2015.
The company's website also lists the specific lot numbers and UPC codes involved in the recall. Trader Joe's suggests its customers dispose of the products — or return them to any Trader Joe's store for a refund.
One of the most common food-borne illnesses, salmonella is estimated to cause more than 1 million Americans to become ill each year. It leads to about 19,000 annual hospitalizations and an average of 380 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Kids are most likely to become sick from the bacteria, but infants, elderly people and those with compromised immune systems are most apt to suffer a severe illness. Symptoms typically show up 12 to 72 hours after infection and can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting and fever.
The Food and Drug Administration also alerted consumers to the recall, reporting that the walnuts were originally distributed to Trader Joe’s stores nationwide.
This article was originally published Mar. 17, 2015 at 4:17 p.m. ET.