Outbreak Summary
CDC has linked a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Duisburg and Salmonella Urbana illnesses to Cashew Brie (a vegan cheese substitute) distributed by Jule’s Foods of Carlsbad, California. As of May 7, 2021, at least seven people have been sickened in three states: California, Florida, and Tennessee. Three of the illnesses have resulted in hospitalization.
According to FDA, three of the five people known to have been sickened reported eating Jule’s Truffle Cashew Brie, the only common product identified. California and Tennessee public health officials collected samples from Jule’s products at various retail locations, and determined that products in California may be contaminated with Salmonella.
As a result, Jule’s has announced a recall of all its products. The implicated products were sold direct to consumers and also distributed to grocery stores in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Texas. The cashew brie products are 6 ounces and wrapped in white cheese paper. A full list of stores is available at www.JulesFoods.net.
Based on traceback analysis, public health authorities have concluded that the cashews used to make the Jule’s products were likely the source of the contamination, as “samples of un-opened, raw cashews collected from the Jule’s Foods facility also tested positive for the same strain of Salmonella Urbana as the TDH and CDPH product samples and two California clinical isolates.” The FDA has contacted the supplier of the cashews, and is working to ensure that all potentially contaminated cashews are removed from the market.
This is a developing situation, and our investigation continues. This page will update as more information becomes known. Please contact us using the form on this page or call us at 888-828-7087 if you have been affected by or have information relevant to this outbreak.
More Details
At least seven people have been sickened with Salmonella poisoning in states ranging from California to Florida in an outbreak linked to vegan Cashew Brie products distributed by Jule’s Foods.
All of the company’s products have been recalled. The recalled products include:
There are more than 2,500 serotypes of Salmonella, but fewer than 100 cause infections in humans. Two of these strains, rare serotypes called Duisburg and Urbana, are responsible for the current outbreak. Salmonella poisoning can be so severe that it requires people to be hospitalized, and at least three people have been hospitalized in the current outbreak.
Salmonella can even be fatal when the infection leaves the intestines and travels to the bloodstream or other parts of the body. It is also possible to experience long-term side effects, including joint pain known as reactive arthritis, which is also known as Reiter’s Syndrome. This can last for months or years and result in chronic arthritis, which is difficult to treat. Reactive arthritis can also lead to eye irritation and painful urination. In rare cases, some types of Salmonella cause typhoid fever, which can be fatal.
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