Fairway “Like No Other Market” of New York, NY, is recalling Fairway brand Raw Hazelnuts (Filberts), because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.
The Fairway brand Raw Hazelnuts (Filberts) were distributed to Fairway stores in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, and also through home delivery programs provided by Google and Instacart.
The product is packaged in clear, plastic cello bags of varying weights, each weighing less than one pound. The product bears Item Code 228119 XXXXXX. All “SELL BY” Date codes of May 15, 2015 and earlier are being recalled.
There have been no reported illnesses to date.
The recall is the result of a routine sampling program by the FDA which revealed that the finished product contained the bacteria. The company has ceased distribution of the Fairway brand Raw Hazelnut (Filberts) and removed the product from Fairway store shelves as the FDA and the company continues their investigation as to what caused the problem.