Category: food safety

Green moringa powder scores Salmonella hat trick

For the third time in less than three months, green moringa powder has been linked to an outbreak of Salmonella illnesses.

The Salmonella Newport outbreak

The most recent outbreak, announced by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on February 13, 2026, currently consists of seven confirmed cases of Salmonella Newport infections in seven states. Three of the seven victims have been hospitalized. The outbreak strain is described by the CDC as being “extensively drug-resistant.”

The outbreak has been traced to certain lots of Rosabella brand moringa powder capsules, distributed by Ambrosia Brands, LLC. The implicated lots of product have been recalled.

Outbreak cases have been reported by Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, and Washington. The first victim became ill on November 7, 2025; the most recent began to develop symptoms on January 8, 2026. Victims range in age from 61 to 78 years, with a median age of 66. Six of the seven victims are female.

The Salmonella Richmond outbreak

The first Salmonella outbreak linked to moringa powder involved a strain of Salmonella Richmond. That outbreak comprised eleven victims in seven states. Once again, three people were hospitalized.

The outbreak was traced to a single lot of organic moringa leaf powder from Vallon Farmdirect PVT LTD of Johdpur, India. The contaminated powder was a component of Organic Moringa Leaf Powder and Organic Supergreens Powder mix sold by Food to Live, Member’s Mark Super Greens Powdered Supplements, sold at Sam’s Clubs, and Africa Imports Organic Moringa Powder.

Victims of this outbreak were from Florida, Kansas, Michigan, North Carolina, New York, South Carolina, and Virginia. The first illness appeared in May 2025, and the most recent in September 2025. Victims ranged in age from 13 to 65 years, with a median age of 52. Eight of the victims were female.

The Salmonella Typhimurium / Salmonella Newport outbreak

This was the largest of the three outbreaks, comprising 65 confirmed cases of Salmonella Typhimurium or Salmonella Newport infections and 14 hospitalizations in 28 states. The outbreak was first reported by the CDC on January 14, 2026. The agency issued status updates on January 15th and January 29th. The investigation of this outbreak remains open.

The infections were linked to consumption of Why Not Natural Organic Moringa – Green Superfood and Live it Up Super Greens. Both products were recalled.

Illnesses related to this outbreak started on dates ranging from August 22, 2025 to January 11, 2026. Victims ranged inb age from 3 to 81 years, with a median age of 45. One-third of the outbreak victims are female.

Outbreak cases have been reported by Alabama, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Not the first time

We’ve been here before. More than 10 years ago, a raw organic powdered shake meal replacement product was linked to a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Virchow infections. That meal replacement product contained organic moringa leaf powder imported from South Africa.

The FDA was able to confirm the presence of the outbreak strain in a sample of organic moringa leaf powder used in the production of RAW Meal Organic Shake and Meal Replacement products, which were available in several flavors. The manufacturer, Garden of Life, LLC, recalled the implicated products.

The outbreak began as a cluster of 6 infections from 5 states. It grew to encompass 35 cases in 24 states. Six people were hospitalized.

Victims in this outbreak ranged in age from less than 1 to 84 years.

In 2016, likely in response to this outbreak, the FDA added moringa powder from K. Paulsen Botanicals, a South African company, to its Import Alert 99-19 (Detention Without Physical Examination of Food Products Due to the Presence of Salmonella).

What is moringa powder?

Billed as a “superfood” or a “Miracle Tree,” the leaves and pods of the moringa tree are rich in nutrients and can be used to treat malnutrition. The tree is native to North India, but can be grown in any subtropical or tropical region with a temperature around 25º-35ºC.

Moringa leaves are rich in mineral such as calcium, iron, and copper, contain multiple vitamins, and several phytochemicals. Moringa pods are high in fiber and protein.

Moringa powder has long been used as an herbal medicine. Its proponents claim that it can cure diabetes, can treat dementia, and inhibit the growth of cancer cells.

The powder is an ingredient in some dietary supplements and meal replacement products.

What consumers need to know

With two outbreaks still under investigation, consumers should be wary of using products that contain moringa powder or moringa leaf powder, especially as the most recent outbreak involves an extremely antibiotic resistant strain of Salmonella.

The dietary supplement capsules covered by the most recent recall have a a very long shelf life, extending through most of 2027. Consumers who purchased these products should check their medicine cabinets and kitchen cupboards for any bottles of the recalled products.

Consumers who experience symptoms of Salmonella (eg., high fever, dehydration, bloody diarrhea or diarrhea that won’t get better, or vomiting) should seek medical care immediately.

What the CDC wants healthcare providers to know

  • Most people with Salmonella infection recover without antibiotics. If antibiotics are needed, infections with this strain may not be treatable with commonly recommended antibiotics and may require a different antibiotic choice.
    • The Salmonella strain associated with this outbreak is resistant to all first-line and alternative antibiotics commonly recommended for the treatment of Salmonella infections.
    • This strain also might be resistant to multiple β-lactam antibiotics, including meropenem and other carbapenems, because it carries an NDM-1 carbapenemase gene.
  • Tailor antibiotic treatment to antimicrobial susceptibility testing results when possible.
  • Consider consultation with an infectious disease specialist for management of patients with extensively drug-resistant or complicated Salmonella infection.
TAINTED formats 3
“Reads like a true crime novel” – Food Safety News

Interested in learning more about food safety and the history of foodborne disease outbreaks and investigations?

Click on the link to listen to a short excerpt, then follow the buy links to add a digital, print or audio copy to your personal library.

Chapter 6. Birth of a Pathogen
Order TAINTED now from your preferred on-line retailer

Infant botulism outbreak strain found in organic powdered milk ingredient

January 23, 2026

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported today that a sample of organic powdered whole milk used as an ingredient in ByHeart Whole Nutrition infant formula has tested positive for Clostridium botulinum.

The FDA report did not identify the source of the organic powdered whole milk ingredient.

The sample of powdered milk was collected by the FDA at a processor for a supplier to ByHeart, and was analyzed by the Wadsworth Center Laboratory of the New York State Department of Health. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) testing found that the strain recovered from the milk powder is a genetic match for the Clostridium botulinum strain isolated from an infant victims of the outbreak.

The strain found in the powdered milk also is a genetic match for the strain recovered from a closed container of ByHeart formula collected by the FDA during the course of its investigation.

According to an update released today by the CDC, the number of confirmed and suspect cases of infant botulism in this outbreak remains at 51 individuals in 19 states.

Information provided to eFoodAlert by a spokesperson for the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) confirms that the state’s Infant Botulism Prevention and Treatment Program, which is the sole supplier the BabyBIG antitoxin used in the US to treat infant botulism, has not received any reports of new cases linked to ByHeart since the CDC’s December 17, 2025, update.

The CDPH was the first agency to recognize that a multistate outbreak of infant botulism with a common product exposure was in progress, notifying the CDC on November 5, 2025. The CDC mobilized the multistate outbreak response two days later, on November 7th, according to the CDPH spokesperson.

On November 8th, in response to a recommendation from the FDA, ByHeart initiated a recall of two production batches of its Whole Nutrition infant formula. The company expanded its recall on November 11th to include all batches of ByHeart Whole Nutrition infant formula in cans and Anywhere Packs.

ByHeart’s manufacturing operation remains paused while the investigation continues. The company has been cooperating with the FDA investigation and also has engaged a third-party laboratory to conduct Clostridium botulinum testing of its multiple batches of finished products.

To date, testing conducted by ByHeart’s lab has confirmed the presence of Clostridium botulinum in six samples from two different batch codes, both of which were included in the company’s initial November 8, 2025, product recall. In addition, the CDPH recovered Clostridium botulinum from an opened container of one of those batch codes. A sealed container from a third batch code, collected by Arizona and analyzed under the FDA’s Laboratory Flexible Funding Model, also yielded Clostridium botulinum.

WARNING TO CONSUMERS: Although ByHeart recalled all of its product in November 2025, the FDA is still receiving reports from consumers who have found recalled product on store shelves. If you find a ByHeart product either at a retailer or on-line, do not purchase it. If you have any recalled product in your possession, do not use it.

TAINTED formats 3
“Reads like a true crime novel” – Food Safety News

Interested in learning more about food safety and the history of foodborne disease outbreaks and investigations?

Click on the link to listen to a short excerpt, then follow the buy links to add a digital, print or audio copy to your personal library.

Chapter 6. Birth of a Pathogen
Order TAINTED now from your preferred on-line retailer

Nestlé infant formula recall spans globe – Updated January 7, 2026

This post from January 6th has been updated to include more countries on the affected list. Added countries are shown in boldface red.

On December 10-11, 2025, several European countries advised the public that Nestlé had recalled multiple infant formula products due to the presence of cereulide toxin, a heat-stable toxin produced by Bacillus cereus. Additional countries chimed in starting on January 5, 2026.

The recalled products originated in the Netherlands, and were distributed to more than sixty countries on six continents: Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America.

Following is a list of the affected countries, including live links to recall notices, where available. As of January 6th, none of the recalled products had been distributed to the United States or Canada.

The recall encompasses multiple products sold under the SMA, Alfamino, BEBA, GUIGOZ, LACTOGEN, NAN, Nestlé, and NIDAL brand names (depending on the country in which the producs were sold). Multiple batch codes with expiry dates ranging from April 2027 to November 2027 are covered in the recall notices.

Please check the recall notice for the country where you live, or contact your retailer to determine whether the products you purchased are included in this recall.

TAINTED formats 3
“Reads like a true crime novel” – Food Safety News

Interested in learning more about food safety and the history of foodborne disease outbreaks and investigations?

Click on the link to listen to a short excerpt, then follow the buy links to add a digital, print or audio copy to your personal library.

Chapter 6. Birth of a Pathogen
Order TAINTED now from your preferred on-line retailer