Elevated risk U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Earth Grown Vegan Traditional Falafel and Garlic & Herb Falafel recall: Potential contamination with shiga toxin-producing E. Coli

Recall published 4+ years ago

Potential contamination with shiga toxin-producing E. Coli

Earth Grown Vegan Other food products — recalled other food productsEarth Grown Vegan Other food products — recalled other food products (photo 2)
2 photos published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration with the recall notice.

The hazard: E. coli contamination

E. coli O157 and its relatives are what this recall is about. The infection is more severe than ordinary food poisoning and can affect the kidneys in children.

What the notice says: Shiga-toxin-producing E. coli is an organism that can cause foodborne illness in a person who eats a food item contaminated with it.

Why it matters: Shiga toxin-producing E. coli causes a more severe illness than most food poisoning, and in a minority of cases it damages the kidneys. Very small numbers of bacteria are enough to make someone ill.

Symptoms and when to call a doctor

The CDC describes symptoms as severe stomach cramps, diarrhoea that is often bloody, and vomiting, typically starting three to four days after exposure. Most people get better within a week. A small proportion — most often young children and older adults — develop haemolytic uraemic syndrome, a form of kidney failure that needs hospital treatment. Call a doctor for bloody diarrhoea, diarrhoea lasting more than three days, a fever above 102°F, vomiting that prevents you keeping liquids down, or signs of dehydration. The CDC advises against taking anti-diarrhoeal medicine for a suspected E. coli infection unless a doctor tells you to.

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you feel unwell, a clinician who can see you is the only person able to judge your case.

Recall details

Published
October 7, 2022
Risk level
Elevated risk
Issued by
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Brand
Earth Grown Vegan
Product type
Other food products
Distribution
Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Sold at
Aldi

Products covered by this recall

Earth Grown Vegan Traditional Falafel and Garlic & Herb Falafel

What the company announced

Cuisine Innovations Unlimited, LLC of 180 Lehigh Avenue, Lakewood, NJ, is voluntarily recalling its Earth Grown Vegan Traditional Falafel and Garlic & Herb Falafel Distributed & Sold Exclusively by Aldi, Batavia, IL due to the possible presence of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli .

Shiga-toxin-producing E. coli is an organism that can cause foodborne illness in a person who eats a food item contaminated with it. Symptoms of infection may include stomach cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting. The illness primarily impacts elderly individuals, children, and people with weakened immune systems. Most healthy adults and children rarely become seriously ill.

The voluntarily recalled Earth Grown Vegan Traditional Falafel And Garlic & Herb Falafel Distributed & Sold Exclusively by Aldi, Batavia, IL were distributed in ALDI retail stores in the following states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

The product comes in a bag in a box marked with any of the following Lot numbers: 1472, 1481, 1531, 1532, 1541, 1552, 1561, 1581, 1601, 1611, 1612, 1661, 1682, 1732, 1752, 1762, 1782, 1802, and 1812, and would have been shipped to stores after June 24, 2021. The lot number can be found in the “Best if used by” area on the outside flap of the box. There has been no further production of this product.

There have been 20 reported cases in six (6) states (FL, IA, KS, MI, OH and WI) with onset dates reported between July 24, 2022 and September 19, 2022 with 5 hospitalization and no deaths.

Consumers who have purchased Earth Grown Vegan Traditional Falafel and Garlic & Herb Falafel Distributed & Sold Exclusively by Aldi, Batavia, IL with any of the above lot numbers after June 24, 2021, are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time at 1-201-439-1036, Ext. 26.

Outbreak Advisory

Reproduced from the company announcement posted on fda.gov. Links and contact forms in the original are not repeated here; the official notice below has them.

Check your product

The notice names 13 codes you can read straight off the package. Type the one printed on yours and the list below narrows to it.

Lot or batch code

Usually ink-stamped near the seam, the cap or the bottom of the pack.

  • 1472
  • 1481
  • 1531
  • 1532
  • 1541
  • 1552
  • 1561
  • 1581
  • 1601
  • 1611
  • 1612
  • 1661
  • June 24, 2021

Codes are lifted verbatim from the FDA — Company recall announcements notice. A code that is missing here may still be covered — the official notice is the complete list.

What to do about E. coli

Earth Grown Vegan — E. coli O157 and its relatives are what this recall is about. The infection is more severe than ordinary food poisoning and can affect the kidneys in children.

  1. Stop eating it now and keep it away from children.
  2. Seal it in a bag and throw it out, or return it to the store for a refund.
  3. Wash hands, utensils, boards and counters that touched it with hot soapy water — cross-contamination is how most secondary cases happen.
  4. If anyone has bloody diarrhoea, call a doctor the same day and say the word recall. Do not reach for an anti-diarrhoeal first.

Refunds, and what else you can claim

The purchase price is the floor, not the ceiling. Where a recall caused you a real cost, say so.

  • Claim the refund at the store first; it is the fastest route and needs the least paperwork.
  • If you bought several packs over time, list them. Firms routinely settle for more than a single unit when a customer asks.
  • Medical costs, lost earnings or a spoiled event are not handled at the service desk. Write to the company contact on this page instead, with dates and documents.
  • Keep copies of everything you send. If a recall caused harm, that file is what any later claim rests on.

Remedy named in the notice: Consumers who have purchased Earth Grown Vegan Traditional Falafel and Garlic & Herb Falafel Distributed & Sold Exclusively by Aldi, Batavia, IL with any of the above lot numbers after June 24, 2021, are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Company contact: Cuisine Innovations Unlimited LLC — Consumers: 1-201-439-1036, Ext. 26

The official notice

This page summarises a notice published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The agency notice is the authoritative version — read it before you act, and treat it as the final word if anything here looks different.

Open the FDA — Company recall announcements record U.S. Food and Drug Administration recalls

Questions people ask about this recall

Why was Earth Grown Vegan other food products recalled?

Potential contamination with shiga toxin-producing E. Coli Shiga-toxin-producing E. coli is an organism that can cause foodborne illness in a person who eats a food item contaminated with it.

How do I know if I have the recalled product?

Match the codes printed on your package against the notice: lot code 1472, 1481, 1531. If the code on your package is not on that list, your unit is outside the recall.

What should I do with it right now?

Stop eating it now and keep it away from children.

Can I get my money back?

The notice says: Consumers who have purchased Earth Grown Vegan Traditional Falafel and Garlic & Herb Falafel Distributed & Sold Exclusively by Aldi, Batavia, IL with any of the above lot numbers after June 24, 2021, are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Which states were affected?

The notice lists Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and others.

Related recalls