© Photo: REDA&CO (Getty Images)Plate of sesame udon noodles with chopsticks
Since joining the Takeout staff last fall, I've become increasingly more plugged in to the vast, stinky, botulism-ridden world of food recalls. And there are a lot of food recalls. We weathered a Hot Pockets recall back in January; a dog food brand recalled its food last week over listeria concerns; and earlier this month, the FDA announced the recall of 4,550 bags of Sweet Barbecue Quaker Rice Crisps (the horror!), citing potential soy contamination. Now, sesame oil is in the hot seat. Best Life reports that the FDA announced the recall of Mediterranean Food Inc.'s Alqosh Sesame Oil on Monday, March 8, due to potential salmonella contamination.
As we know here at the Food Recall Patrol, salmonella can be pretty serious. A mild case can involve abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, nausea, and vomiting, but a serious case can lead to infection and death in children, seniors, and immunocompromised individuals. Fortunately, the affected batch is relatively small. The recalled oil was sold exclusively in Michigan, and it comes in two-pound jars marked with lot number 16082020 and production date 08/16/2020.
If you have the recalled oil in your pantry, you can return it to the store for a refund. And if you're not sure if your oil is affected, you can call Mediterranean Food Inc. at 586-777-3460 with questions. Finally, in case you're interested in exploring obscure food recalls, there's a treasure trove of data on the FDA's website. Please, I beg you: share in my burden.