The Netherlands Warns of Possible Salmonella in Ground Coriander Seed Sold at Organic Food Stores

The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) published on October 13, at mid-morning, a safety warning about ground coriander seed, because the product may contain Salmonella. The distributing company, which is the one issuing the notice, recommends not using the spice. The product was sold at an organic supermarket chain and at other specialized stores of the same type.

The statement is brief and does not specify how many batches are affected or whether the presence of the bacterium was confirmed in a test or is a suspected contamination; that is why the wording is that the product may contain Salmonella, and the recommendation is limited to not using it. It also does not report cases of illness associated with this product.

Dry spices and herbs are a known vehicle for Salmonella. Although low moisture prevents the bacterium from multiplying, it survives for months in the dry product, and as spices are frequently added to dishes that are not cooked again, such as salads, cold sauces or dressings, they can transmit the pathogen directly. In the production chain, the critical points are field drying, storage and grinding, and microbial reduction treatments, such as steam, applied before packaging.

Salmonella infection generally causes diarrhea, fever and abdominal pain between 6 hours and 6 days after consumption, and can be more severe in young children, older people and immunocompromised people. The case adds to the spice recalls over this bacterium published in Europe in recent months and to the trend toward more systematic sampling of this type of dry product, which requires importers and packers to verify each batch and maintain traceability back to the origin of the raw material.