Cashews are the Salmonella source in the outbreak linked to Jule’s cashew brie, according to the latest update from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Testing by state and federal health officials also revealed that the cheese products were contaminated with several strains of Salmonella. Two strains are associated with the outbreak- Salmonella Duisburg and Salmonella Urbana.
Jule’s Cashew Brie Salmonella Outbreak
Cashew brie is a plant-based cheese alternative. As of May 7, 2021, health officials have identified seven people from three states who are part of this cashew brie Salmonella outbreak. Three of them developed such severe infections they needed to be hospitalized. Four of the patients are from California, two are from Florida, and one is from Tennessee. They range in age from 23 to 72 years old. During interviews with health officials, two-thirds of them said they had eaten Jule’s cashew brie before they became ill, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
State health departments in California and Tennessee found various strains of Salmonella in the package of Jule’s brie they collected and tested. When they found Salmonella Urbana in Jule’s truffle cashew brie, they did genetic tests on the strain and found its fingerprint matched the fingerprint of the Salmonella Urbana cultured from the people who got sick. Samples of raw cashews collected from unopened containers at the Jule’s Foods facility in Carlsbad, CA also tested positive for this strain.
The CDC said it had not identified illnesses associated with the other Salmonella strains found in the cheeses.
On April 23, 2021, Jule’s Foods issued a cashew brie recall. Consumers who have purchased these cheese should check recall information carefully. The company’s cashew supplier, whose name has not been released, does not sell directly to consumers. The company told the FDA that it had contacted its other customers and told them to remove any products containing the nuts from the market.
Symptoms of a Salmonella Infection
Symptoms of a Salmonella infection include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever. If you ate these products and develop these symptoms, contact your doctor and mention your exposure to Salmonella.
If you or a family member developed a Salmonella infection from contaminated cashew brie and would like a free consultation with an experienced Salmonella lawyer, please contact the Pritzker Hageman Salmonella Legal Team. We have represented clients in every major Salmonella outbreak in the U.S. You can reach us by calling 1-888-377-8900, sending a text to 612-261-0856, or by completing the form below. There is no obligation and we don’t get paid unless we win