Limited Good Earth Tea Recall Due to Possible Salmonella Contamination

According to Yahoo! Finance, Good Earth Tea is voluntarily recalling a limited amount of its Caffeine Free Original blend due to the possible presence of salmonella. Routine microbial testing showed the presence of salmonella in one of the tea's ingredients.

Recalled Good Earth Tea
The recall affects a limited number of Costco retail locations in California, as well as Trader Joe's retail locations in California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada and Pennsylvania.

The recall only applies to one blend, Good Earth Caffeine Free Original, with Best By Dates of 18AUG12 to 02SEP12, respectively.

It includes the following two products sold at Costco:

Good Earth Caffeine Free Original 25-count UPC 2701830401
Good Earth Caffeine Free Original as part of the Costco 3-pack UPC 27018 30169

Trader Joe's also carried the tainted product with the following UPC:

Good Earth Caffeine Free Original 18-count UPC 27018301356

More Info from Trader Joe's
The Trader Joe's website features a prominent link to information regarding the recall. The store removed all recalled tea from its shelves and destroyed it. The Trader Joe's website further explained:

"We have been alerted by our supplier of Good Earth Caffeine Free Original Tea (sku 43883) that there is a possibility that product with Best By Dates of 19AUG12, 31AUG12 & 02SEP12 sold only in our NoCal, OR, WA, NoNV & Chelsea, NY stores may cause a serious food-borne illness."

Symptoms and Risks of Salmonella Poisoning
No illnesses have been reported to date and any potential health risk is significantly reduced when following the printed brewing instructions on the package.

According to the CDC, salmonella can cause diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness typically run its course in four to seven days. However, salmonella can lead to more severe illness and is particularly dangerous for the elderly, children and people with weakened immune systems.

What to Do with Recalled Good Earth Tea
Immediately discontinue use of the affected product. Discard the tea or return it to the place of purchase for a refund. For additional information, contact Good Earth directly at 1-888-625-8227 between 8 a.m. EDT and 8 p.m. EDT, Monday to Friday.

Sources:
"Good Earth Tea Voluntarily Recalls Limited Amount of Caffeine Free Original Blend Due to Possible Health Risk", Finance.Yahoo.com
"A Note to Our Customers About Good Earth Caffeine Free Original Tea", TraderJoes.com
"What is Salmonellosis?", CDC.gov