Menno Beachy of Cresco, Iowa, is recalling one pint containers of Certified Organic Grape Tomatoes because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail, or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e. infected aneurysms), endocarditis, and arthritis.

A food distributor in Minnesota distributed 15 cases containing 12 one-pint containers of the affected grape tomatoes to retail stores located in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan between 7/26/12-8/6/12.

The grape tomatoes are packaged in square-shaped clear plastic clamshell containers labeled as Menno Beachy Certified Organic Grape Tomato, UPC number 044419310176, with a net weight of one pint. There are no lot numbers or expiration dates on the clamshell label. The clamshell packages are distributed in cases that are printed with a lot number. The case lot numbers affected by the recall are MB725GT3, MB725GT8, and MB725GT0.

No illnesses have been associated with the product.

Menno Beachy became aware of the contamination after the Minnesota Department of Agriculture collected a sample of the grape tomatoes located at the Minnesota distributor. The sample of lot number MB725GT0 found the grape tomatoes to be contaminated with Salmonella. Menno Beachy is investigating the source of the contamination.

For more information on past Salmonella tomato outbreaks, see www.outbreakdatabase.com.