Some Trader Joe’s cashew nuts are being recalled over contamination concerns, according to a notice shared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Monday. Wenders LLC said “specific” production lots of its Trader Joe’s 50% Less Sodium Roasted & Salted Whole Cashews products are being pulled from store shelves in 16 states due to possible salmonella contamination.
The recall affects four different lots of the product – Lot No: T12139 – Best Before Feb 21, 2025; Lot No: T12140 – Best Before Mar 01, 2025; Lot No: T12141 – Best Before Mar 08, 2025; and Lot No: T12142 – Best Before Mar 10, 2025. The products were manufactured in India or Vietnam, according to the FDA, and feature SKU number 37884. The recalled cashews were sold at Trader Joe’s locations in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Washington.
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The India-based cashew exporter issued the recall after routine testing conducted by the FDA during import “indicated that at least one of the recalled lots tested positive for the presence of Salmonella.” Consumption of products contaminated with salmonella can cause salmonellosis, a common foodborne illness. Symptoms of salmonellosis include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever, and typically occur within 12 to 72 hours of consumption. Although most people recover within four to seven days and do not require treatment, in rare cases, the infection can spread from the intestines to the bloodstream, requiring the individual to be hospitalized. The FDA’s notice said that “no illnesses have been reported to date.”
Due to the health risks associated with eating foods possibly contaminated with salmonella, consumers have been urged not to eat the recalled cashews. The product can instead be returned to the place of purchase for a full refund.
The recall marks the second for a product sold at the grocery chain this month following a March 2 recall of Trader Joe’s Steamed Chicken Soup Dumplings due to the potential presence of foreign material, and comes after B. Sanfilippo & Son Incorporated, the manufacturer behind Walmart’s Great Value brand, recalled a “limited amount” of Honey Roasted Cashews. The recall, issued on March 12, was initiated after “a consumer report of finding coconut cashews within a container labeled as honey roasted cashews.”
The string of recent recalls comes amid reports that food recalls have reached a five-year high. According to Sedgwick’s 2024 State of the Nation Recall Index report, there were 3,301 recalls across the automotive, consumer product, food and drink, medical device and pharmaceutical industries in 2023, with 759.36 million units recalled across the five industries.
