Sold in ALDI stores.
Boxes have any of the following lot numbers: 1472, 1481, 1531, 1532, 1541, 1552, 1561, 1581, 1601, 1611, 1612, 1661, 1682, 1732, 1752, 1762, 1782, 1802, or 1812.
See recall notice for additional information
CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigated a multistate outbreak of E. coli O121 infections.
Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback data showed that Earth Grown brand frozen falafel sold at ALDI stores made people sick.
As of December 1, 2022, this outbreak is over.
A total of 24 people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O121 were reported from 6 states.
Illnesses started on dates ranging from July 13, 2022, to October 24, 2022. Sick people ranged in age from under 1 to 71 years, with a median age of 30, and 74% were female. Of 22 people with information available, 5 were hospitalized and 1 developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious condition that can cause kidney failure. No deaths were reported.
State and local public health officials interviewed people about the foods they ate in the week before they got sick. Of the 18 people interviewed, 15 (83%) reported shopping at ALDI stores. Among these 15 ALDI shoppers, 14 (93%) reported eating Earth Grown brand frozen falafel purchased from ALDI in the week before getting sick.
DNA fingerprinting is performed on bacteria using a method called whole genome sequencing (WGS). WGS showed that bacteria from sick people’s samples were closely related genetically. This suggests that people in this outbreak got sick from the same food.
On October 7, 2022, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development collected Earth Grown frozen falafel for testing from a sick person’s home. WGS done at the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services showed that the E. coli in the falafel were closely related to bacteria from sick people. This means that people likely got sick from eating frozen falafel.
On October 7, 2022, Cuisine Innovations of Lakewood, New Jersey, recalled Earth Grown Vegan Traditional Falafel and Garlic & Herb Falafel. According to ALDI, Cuisine Innovations is the sole supplier of Earth Grown brand frozen falafel sold in ALDI stores.
CDC advises people to not eat, sell, or serve recalled frozen falafel.
Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of E. coli outbreaks and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The E. coli lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of E. coli and other foodborne illness infections and have recovered over $850 Million for clients in the last 29 years. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.
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