Check Your Fridge: Baby Arugula Recalled Over Possible Salmonella Contamination

• Baby arugula sold at select Publix stores has been recalled over possible Salmonella contamination.
• Green Life Farms voluntarily recalled the baby arugula after testing showed the presence of Salmonella in a single harvest of the leafy green vegetable.
• No illnesses have been reported in connection to the recall, but if you have any recalled baby arugula at home, the FDA warns not to eat it and to throw it away or return it to the store for a full refund.

Listen up, arugula lovers: Baby arugula sold at Publix stores has been recalled over possible Salmonella contamination, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).¹

Green Life Farms has voluntarily recalled one lot of its 4-ounce containers of baby arugula sold at select Publix locations starting May 31, 2024. The affected arugula comes in clear plastic packages with a sell-by date of June 15, 2024, and lot code #LW15124. Only baby arugula from this lot is impacted.¹

The recall was initiated after routine testing conducted by Green Life Farms detected the presence of Salmonella in a single harvest of baby arugula, the FDA said. “The company took immediate corrective action and additional harvests remain unaffected,” according to an announcement on Publix’s website.²

It’s unclear which Publix locations the baby arugula packages were sold at. However, Publix has nearly 1,400 stores in eight states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.

No illnesses have been reported in connection to the recalled baby arugula, the FDA said.

If you think or know that you purchased one of the recalled baby arugula containers, the FDA recommends that you don’t eat it and return it to where you bought it for a full refund.

Salmonella Concerns, Explained

Salmonella is a bacteria that causes about 1.35 million infections, 26,500 hospitalizations, and 420 deaths in the U.S. each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Most Salmonella is spread through food, including raw poultry, meat, eggs, and certain fruits and vegetables.³

Most people who get a Salmonella infection, which is also known as salmonellosis, have diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps, with symptoms starting anywhere from six hours to six days after a person is infected. Symptoms may last four to seven days, per the CDC.³

The majority of people recover from salmonellosis without any specific treatment, but antibiotics may be used to treat people who have a severe illness or who are at high risk for serious illness. Those include children younger than five, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems, according to the FDA.

Some people may become so sick from salmonellosis that they need to be hospitalized. The infection can also be deadly.

To lower your risk of Salmonella infection, the CDC recommends washing your hands and utensils well, separating raw meat from other foods, cooking foods to a safe temperature, and storing foods at the proper cold temperature. With raw produce that isn’t cooked, paying attention to food recalls is important.³