Garden of Life Expands Voluntary Recall to Include Additional Lots of Raw Meal Products Due to Possible Salmonella Contamination

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla., Feb. 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Garden of Life LLC is expanding its January 29th voluntary recall to include additional lots of its Raw Meal Organic Shake & Meal Chocolate, Original, Vanilla and Vanilla Chai products because an ingredient used in certain lots of the product has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella Virchow. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often 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 (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.  If you have symptoms or concerns, please talk to your doctor.

Garden of Life has requested that retailers remove the lots of Raw Meal from sale and that consumers check the lot number on their Raw Meal product and return any products involved in this recall to their point of purchase for a full refund.

After extensive testing of the product and its ingredients, and working in collaboration with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the manufacturer, suppliers and other third-party experts, we have now identified the likely source of Salmonella contamination to be Organic Moringa Leaf powder from a supplier used only in Raw Meal.  Because other Garden of Life products containing Moringa use different suppliers, only Raw Meal is exposed. 

Following is the list of lots affected added to this recall. Consumers can find the lot codes prominently stamped on the underside of the plastic container.

February 12, 2016 Recall Lots

No other Garden of Life products are affected by this recall.

To prevent a recurrence of this issue, Garden of Life will remove Organic Moringa powder from Raw Mealand expects new Raw Meal products to be available in stores and through online retailers within the next few weeks.

"The health of our consumers matters more than anything to every Garden of Life employee," said Brian Ray, Garden of Life's President. "We are using this as an opportunity to review our entire sourcing, manufacturing and distribution system with an eye to making a safe system even better. We will always work to be the industry leader in food safety; we expect nothing less and know you do as well. You can expect to hear more from us on this topic going forward. On behalf of all of us, I apologize to everyone affected by this situation."

ABOUT RAW MEAL: Raw Meal is sold at better health food stores, natural grocers and online. Consumers who have a Raw Meal product affected by this recall should stop consuming the product and if they wish to return it, they should return the unused portion of the product to the place of purchase for a full refund.  Questions may be directed Monday-Friday between the hours of 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM EST to GOL Retail Support at the e mail and phone number below.

SOURCE Garden of Life LLC