Whole Foods anxiety capsules recalled amid Salmonella contamination concerns

Anti-anxiety capsules sold at Whole Foods have been pulled from shelves after manufacturers identified a possible Salmonella contamination.

The product, 365 Whole Foods Market Standardized + Full Spectrum Blend Ashwagandha Capsules by Vitality Works, was recalled after routine testing turned up the concern, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

The affected capsules had been on sale since October 20 and remained available for purchase until November 24.

The product comes in a white bottle containing 120 capsules. Customers should check for lot number 2025-26227 and expiration date 10/13/2028.

The ashwagandha pills are sold at Amazon and Whole Foods. No illnesses have been linked to them so far.

Anyone who bought the recalled product is being told to throw it away right away. Whole Foods is also providing refunds.

Salmonella is a bacterium and one of the main causes of foodborne illness in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It can trigger diarrhea, fever and stomach pain, and people often catch it from raw or undercooked food.

Symptoms can appear anywhere from a few hours to several days after exposure. Salmonella can also spread through contaminated surfaces.

Treatment typically includes rehydration and antibiotics, though children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems or sickle cell disease face a greater risk of severe illness.

In some cases, Salmonella can enter the bloodstream and lead to more serious conditions such as aneurysms, arthritis and sepsis.

While death is uncommon, the infection can be fatal if it spreads to other parts of the body and causes organ failure.

Salmonella is rarely found in vitamins and supplements. However, a separate recall in July involved multiple moringa powder capsules contaminated with the bacterium.

That outbreak affected 131 people in 38 states. Of those, 36 were hospitalized, and no deaths were reported.

Salmonella is a bacterial infection that is often referred to simply as food poisoning.

The bacteria live in the intestines of farm animals and are passed in their stool.

Most infections happen after people consume food or water contaminated with feces.

The bacteria are especially common in raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs because cooking kills them.

Feces can contaminate raw meat and poultry during butchering, while seafood can become tainted if it comes from polluted water.

Contamination can also occur when food is handled by someone who has not washed their hands properly after using the toilet, changing a diaper or dealing with contaminated food.

Symptoms include:

• Nausea
• diarrhoea
• Vomiting
• stomach cramps
• a high temperature of 38C or above
• feeling generally unwell – such as feeling tired or having aches and chills

Most people develop symptoms within eight to 72 hours of exposure and recover within a few days to a week.

Doctors advise drinking plenty of fluids, such as water or squash, to avoid dehydration.

Life-threatening complications can develop if the infection spreads beyond the intestines.

About one in 2,500 people who get salmonella die from the infection.

When to see a doctor:

• If your symptoms last more than a few days
• If you experience bloody stools
• If you are severely dehydrated - experiencing dark-coloured urine and having a dry mouth and tongue

Ashwagandha is a plant used in traditional medicine to support sleep, stress, anxiety and cognitive function.

Ashwagandha supplements are usually made from extracts taken from the plant's roots or leaves.

Although it is not a prescription medicine, studies have found that people who took it reported feeling less stressed and anxious, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.

The Daily Mail has reached out to Vitality Works for comment.