Minnesota warns of cilantro contamination

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ST. PAUL, Minn., Aug. 10 (UPI) -- The Minnesota Department of Agriculture alerted consumers not to eat fresh cilantro sold in certain stores after testing found it was tainted with salmonella.

No confirmed illnesses have been reported in association with the cilantro in question, shipped to stores in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan between July 26 and Aug. 6, the Agriculture Department said Thursday in a release.

The state department said it was working with the federal Food and Drug Administration and California officials to determine the source of the product.

A list of stores where the product was sold is available at www.mda.state.mn.us.

All retail stores that received cilantro shipped within the July 26-Aug. 6 time frame have been notified to remove the product from their shelves, the Agriculture Department said.

Consumers who bought the suspect cilantro are advised not to consume it and to either discard it or return it to the store for a refund.

Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in very young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy people infected with Salmonella often experience diarrhea, fever and abdominal pain.