The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the investigation of a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium infections linked to dried coconut.

Image/CDC
Image/CDC

To date, 13 people from eight states (California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Missouri, Oregon, Texas and Utah) have been sickened, three required hospitalization.

Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback evidence indicates that dried coconut is the likely source of this multistate outbreak.

On March 16, 2018, International Harvest, Inc. recalled bags of Organic Go Smile! Raw Coconut and bulk packages of Go Smiles Dried Coconut Raw and on March 19, 2018, Vitamin Cottage Natural Food Markets, Inc. recalled packages of Natural Grocers Coconut Smiles Organic.

FDA and state health and regulatory officials collected leftover dried coconut from ill people’s homes, as well as dried coconut from Natural Grocers store locations where ill people shopped and from the Natural Grocers’ Distribution Center. FDA testing identified the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium in an unopened sample of Natural Grocers Coconut Smiles Organic collected from Natural Grocers. The outbreak strain was also identified in an opened, leftover sample of Natural Grocers Coconut Smiles Organic collected from an ill person’s home.

FDA also collected dried coconut from International Harvest, Inc. The outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium was identified in samples of International Harvest Brand Organic Go Smile! Dried Coconut Raw and Go Smiles Dried Coconut Raw.

CDC recommends people not eat recalled International Harvest, Inc. brand Go Smile! Raw Coconut, Go Smiles Dried Coconut Raw or recalled Natural Grocers Coconut Smiles Organic. Retailers should not sell or serve recalled dried coconut products. Throw it away or return it to the place of purchase for a refund.