By Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, July 21, 2025 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has escalated the recall of a popular Dubai chocolate spread sold nationwide to its highest alert level due to salmonella risks.
So far, four cases of salmonella and one hospitalization have been linked to the outbreak, according to the CDC.
World Market initiated the voluntary recall of a batch of Emek Gıda’s pistachio-cocoa spread on July 14, after samples tested positive for salmonella contamination. Three days later, the recall was updated to a Class 1 alert.
The Class 1 designation signifies a “reasonable probability” that consuming the spread could cause serious illness or death, according to the FDA.
Salmonella can cause serious and potentially fatal infections in young children, the frail or elderly, and others with weakened immune systems, the FDA warned. Symptoms of Salmonella infection in healthy individuals may include fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.
The recalled products were distributed between June 11 and July 9 and were sold in World Market stores in 32 states across the country. They have the batch code 250401, which can be found on top of the lid, and are labeled with a best-before date of April 1, 2027.
Customers who purchased the affected products are urged not to consume them and to either return them to their place of purchase for a full refund or discard them, the FDA said. It’s also important to clean and sanitize surfaces and containers that may have come into contact with the affected product.
Consumers with questions should contact Emek Gıda’s Customer Service at 877-967-5362.
More information
Read the full recall notice at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
SOURCES: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, news release, July 14, 2025; U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, news release, July 16, 2025
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