Washington, DC, April 2, 2018 – There has been a multi-state outbreak of salmonella infections linked to kratom. Kratom is a plant consumed for its stimulant effects and as an opioid substitute.
A total of 132 cases of salmonella infection have been reported from 38 states and the CDC and FDA are recalling all katom products.
Most manufacturers have voluntarily recalled kratom but one company has refused to recall its products. Triangle Pharmanaturals refused to cooperate with FDA despite repeated attempts to encourage voluntary recall. This refusal has prompted the FDA to take unprecedented action.
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it has issued a mandatory recall order for all food products containing powdered kratom manufactured, processed, packed, or held by Triangle Pharmanaturals LLC, after several were found to contain salmonella. The agency took this action after the company failed to cooperate with the FDA’s request to conduct a voluntary recall. This is the first time the agency has issued a mandatory recall order to protect Americans from contaminated food products.
The FDA is advising consumers to discard the products that are part of the mandatory recall, which include, but are not limited to: Raw Form Organics Maeng Da Kratom Emerald Green, Raw Form Organics Maeng Da Kratom Ivory White, and Raw Form Organics Maeng Da Kratom Ruby Red. The FDA understands that Triangle Pharmanaturals may manufacture, process, pack and/or hold additional brands of food products containing powdered kratom, including powder and encapsulated powder forms.
According to the CDC, epidemiologic and laboratory evidence indicates that kratom is the likely source of this multi-state outbreak.
State and local health officials continue to interview ill people to ask about the foods they ate and other exposures before they became ill. Fifty-seven (73%) of 78 people interviewed reported consuming kratom in pills, powder, or tea. Most people report consuming the powder form of kratom. People who reported consuming kratom purchased it from retail locations in several states and from various online retailers.
Despite the information collected to date about where ill people purchased kratom, a single common brand or supplier of kratom has not been linked to the outbreak. CDC continues to recommend that people not consume kratom in any form because it could be contaminated with Salmonella and could make people sick. This investigation is ongoing and we will provide updates as needed.
If consumers have one or more of these products in their homes, they should discard them immediately. As a precaution, kratom no longer stored in its original packaging should be discarded and the containers used to store it should be thoroughly washed and sanitized. In order to prevent cross-contamination, consumers should wash their hands, work surfaces and utensils thoroughly after contact with these products, and not prepare any food in the area at the same time.
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