The FDA has reclassified a recall of chia seeds sold at Walmart as the highest risk of injury or death due to salmonella poisoning.
The recall of “Great Value Organic Black Chia Seeds 32 oz.” was first announced on May 13, says the FDA’s website. It was reclassified to “Class I” – the highest risk level – at the end of June.
A “Class I” recall is “a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death,” says the FDA’s website.
The recall extends to one lot of the chia seeds, which are sold in Walmart stores throughout the United States, said the FDA.
The impacted products have lot numbers ending “C018” along with an expiration date of Oct. 30, 2026, said a release from Natural Sourcing International, the company that produced the chia seeds for Walmart’s “Great Value” brand.
“Natural Sourcing International is initiating a voluntary recall of one lot of Great Value Organic Black Chia Seeds 32 oz. due to the potential presence of Salmonella,” said Natural Sourcing International in a May 10 release.