On October 28, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a public announcement regarding the recall of 474 boxes of bulk Italian Parsley by Pacific International Marketing, based in Salinas, California. The reason for the recall is potential contamination with Salmonella bacteria.
The affected parsley was distributed to wholesalers in Arizona, California, Florida, Minnesota, Michigan, Georgia, Ohio, and Nevada between September 22 and 25. The parsley has a shelf life of 18 days post-harvest and was sold either in bundles of 30 or 60 tied with rubber bands, or in bags containing 24 bundles.
Each packaging bag containing 30 or 60 bundles has a Universal Product Code (UPC) of 4069580125 as the only identifier, located on the labels attached to the rubber bands. The UPC for the 24-bundle packaging bags is 4069580120, also located on the rubber bands.
The FDA has categorized this recall as a Class I recall, meaning that the use or consumption of the affected product could potentially result in serious health consequences or even death.
Salmonella is a common foodborne pathogen that can lead to severe infections, sometimes life-threatening, especially for vulnerable populations like infants, elderly individuals, and those with weakened immune systems. Symptoms of infection may include fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain appearing within 72 hours of exposure, and can last 4 to 7 days.
As of the recall announcement, there have been no reports of illnesses related to the recalled products. Pacific International Marketing has informed businesses that directly purchased the affected parsley and advised consumers in possession of it to discard or return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.
The company is cooperating with the FDA’s investigation and conducting an internal review. They emphasized that the product should no longer be sold directly to consumers and only frozen products are safe for sale.
Consumers who suspect they have purchased contaminated parsley should check the barcode (UPC) and avoid consumption. For any inquiries, they can call the company’s hotline at 831-759-8301 during business hours, email [email protected], or visit the company’s website PIM4U.com for the latest information.