Condiment Sold at Walmart and Other Stores Recalled Over Possible Salmonella, FDA Warns

The FDA is warning consumers about a new condiment recall.

Now's the time to check your cabinets. On May 3, the FDA released a new alert about a condiment recall for a tahini-based product. According to the agency, Rushdi Food Industries is voluntarily recalling one lot of their squeezable Mighty Sesame Organic Tahini sauce due to a potential Salmonella contamination.

The affected product has a lot code of 858313006208 and an expiration date of Sept. 25, 2023.

"This recall was initiated when the company received a notification by the FDA and the Ohio Department of Health of the potential presence of Salmonella in this specific lot," the agency said. "We immediately informed all stores who had purchased this product within this lot code about this recall and instructed them to remove any product which might be on their shelves."

The tahini sauce was sold at Walmart and other stores.

The recalled Mighty Sesame Organic Tahini product was distributed to some stores nationwide, but was primarily sent to stores in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, according to the FDA.

While the agency did not directly name any of the impacted retailers in its alert, Walmart has listed the recall on its own website. The big-box retailer indicated that the recalled tahini sauce was sold at "select Walmart stores" and included a list of these locations, which span nearly 30 states.

According to the FDA, the impacted product was sold between the weeks of Feb. 23 and March 5 of this year.

"Based off of sales velocity, there is an extremely low chance that any of the affected product would still be available for retail," the agency added. "All products other than the ones with the affected best-by date mentioned in the table are OK to consume."

Consumers are being advised not to use the affected product.

The FDA said Mighty Sesame Co. has not received any reports of illness or injury related to this specific recall so far. Nevertheless, it's important to be cautious, as Salmonella can have serious health consequences. After consuming food contaminated with this bacteria, people can develop an infection called salmonellosis, which usually shows up within 12 to 72 hours.

"Most people with salmonellosis develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. More severe cases of salmonellosis may include a high fever, aches, headaches, lethargy, a rash, blood in the urine or stool, and in some cases may become fatal," the FDA warns, noting that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 450 people die every year in the U.S. as a result of salmonellosis.

With that in mind, you should not use any of the recalled tahini sauce.

"Consumers who may have purchased this product are advised to discontinue use immediately and discard or return the product for credit or refund," the FDA said in its warning. "If a consumer experiences the symptoms listed above and believes they may have been exposed to Salmonella, they are urged to report to a medical provider."

This same condiment was recalled last summer as well.

This is the second time the squeezable Mighty Sesame Organic Tahini sauce has been recalled in the past nine months.

In Aug. 2022, the FDA released an alert announcing that Rushdi Food Industries was voluntarily recalling the same product because of a potential Salmonella contamination. The previously recalled tahini sauces were part of the same lot, but had an expiration date of March 28, 2023.

"This recall was initiated when the company received a notification by the FDA and the West Virginia Department of Health of the potential presence of Salmonella in this specific lot. The company has received no reports of illness or injury to date," the agency said in its alert last summer. "The facility reviewed cleaning procedures, environmental monitoring program results, process flow and possible root of contamination without any positive findings."