A number of Nature Made vitamins are being recalled because of salmonella or Staphylococcus aureus concerns, according to its makers last Tuesday, June 7.
In its recall announcement, Pharmavite LLC said it is pulling certain lots of Nature Made Adult Gummies Multi, Nature Made Adult Gummies Multi + Omega-3, and Nature Made Adult Gummies Multi for Her plus Omega-3s off shelves because of the feared contamination. The affected products were distributed to various major retailers across the country.
“[We are] working closely with the FDA to implement this recall and we are notifying all retail customers and distributors to remove the product from store shelves immediately,” stated the company, adding that no other products are affected by the recall.
Pharmavite initiated the recall when it was found that testing for the specific bacteria was not completed properly on the specified batch lots. It said it has identified the error’s cause, “taking the matter very seriously” and pursuing corrective actions.
Consumers can find the lot numbers on the back panel of the packaging, located next to the expiration date. Those who purchased the affected goods are encouraged to return them to the store for a full refund.
The complete list of affected products can be found in this FDA posting.
Salmonella can cause serious, sometimes deadly infections in young kids, the elderly and immune-compromised individuals. Relatively healthy persons infected with the bacteria can experience symptoms such as fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
Under rare circumstances, the bacteria can also reach the bloodstream and lead to more severe conditions like endocarditis and arthritis.
The S. aureus toxin, too, is a common cause of food poisoning, with a rapid onset of symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps. In severe cases it can lead to headaches, muscle cramps and blood pressure and pulse rate changes.
In recent food recalls, Hostess and Kashi also voluntarily took thousands of products off the market because of peanut allergy risks and other potential contaminants.
The former recalled about 710,000 cases of donuts and snacks, while Kashi recalled two varieties of its Bear Naked granola bars and two varieties of Kashi snacks sold in the United States and Puerto Rico.
