Federal health officials say a fourth greens supplement product this year has sickened people with Salmonella, adding to a growing list of powdered “superfood” recalls hitting store shelves and online retailers nationwide.
Quick Take
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says 45 people across 21 states got sick from Salmonella linked to Live It Up Super Greens powder, with 12 hospitalized.
- A separate outbreak tied to moringa leaf powder is now over, after federal investigators confirmed contamination through lab testing and traceback data.
- Member’s Mark Super Greens Powder, sold at Sam’s Club, sickened at least 11 people, including three hospitalizations.
- Food to Live brand green powders were recalled after a company sample tested positive for Salmonella.
- All four cases point to the same weak spot: powdered plant ingredients that skip the cooking step that normally kills bacteria.
A Pattern of Contaminated Greens Powders
Greens powders promise an easy way to pack fruits and vegetables into a morning drink. But four separate products have now been linked to Salmonella outbreaks in recent months. Federal regulators say the pattern points to a shared risk in how these supplements get made, not one bad company acting alone.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and CDC use the same basic method to catch these outbreaks. They spot a cluster of illnesses, compare what sick people ate, trace the shared product back to its source, and test samples for the bacteria. That process has driven every recall in this string of cases.
Moringa Leaf Powder Outbreak Declared Over
The CDC says its investigation into moringa leaf powder is now closed. “Epidemiologic, traceback, and laboratory data showed that moringa leaf powder products were contaminated and made people sick,” the agency stated in its January update. The FDA traced the contamination to a single imported batch from Vallon Farmdirect PVT LTD in Jodhpur, India, with a best-by date of November 2027.
All affected product from that batch has been pulled from sale, according to the FDA. That outbreak followed a similar pattern seen in the Member’s Mark case, where at least 11 people got sick and three were hospitalized after eating Super Greens Powder Supplements sold at Sam’s Club stores and online.
Live It Up Super Greens Outbreak Grows to 45 Cases
The most recent and largest outbreak involves Live It Up Super Greens powder, made by Superfoods Inc. The CDC says 45 people across 21 states have gotten sick with the same strain of Salmonella, and 12 of them needed hospital care. Health officials announced the outbreak Wednesday and confirmed the illnesses span nearly 20 states, according to CNN.
Superfoods Inc. has recalled the affected Live It Up-brand product following the CDC alert. The company joins Lexunder Inc., which recalled its Food to Live brand green powder products after the FDA said a sample tested positive for Salmonella earlier this year.
Why These Recalls Keep Happening
Powdered greens supplements are dried and blended, not cooked, which means any bacteria present in the raw plant ingredients can survive into the final product. This is a known weak point in the food-safety system, and it explains why outbreaks in this category often trace back to one contaminated ingredient lot rather than an entire company’s operations.
Consumers who bought any of the recalled products should check lot numbers and best-by dates against the FDA and CDC recall notices before using them. People who develop diarrhea, fever, or stomach cramps after taking a greens supplement should contact a doctor, since Salmonella infections can require medical treatment, especially in older adults, young children, and people with weakened immune systems.
Sources:
menshealth.com, fda.gov, abc7ny.com, cdc.gov, cnn.com
