SACRAMENTO – Consumers should not eat Robert’s American Gourmet Veggie Booty snack food due to possible contamination with Salmonella that may cause serious illness, State Public Health Officer Dr. Mark Horton warned today. This product is associated with a nationwide outbreak of the disease that has sickened 51 people in 17 states, including seven in California. No deaths have been reported.

Robert’s American Gourmet based in Sea Cliff, N.Y., is voluntarily recalling all lots and sizes of Veggie Booty. The product is sold in flexible plastic foil bags in 4-ounce, 1-ounce and half-ounce portions. Veggie Booty is sold in supermarkets, health food stores, vending machines and online in the United States and Canada.

Almost all of the illnesses have occurred in children under 10 years old, with the majority of them toddlers. Most of the individuals affected had bloody diarrhea. In California, Contra Costa, Orange, Riverside, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties have each reported one illness and San Francisco has reported two. The latest onset of illness in California was May 24, 2007.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) learned about the illnesses on June 27 from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The outbreak is considered ongoing.

Salmonellosis is an acute bacterial infection commonly characterized by diarrhea and fever. Symptoms usually develop within one to four days after eating contaminated food. Most ill individuals recover without the need for medical attention. However, in some persons the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems. Consumers who become ill after eating this product should contact their physician.

Consumers who purchased Veggie Booty and still have the product should discard the contents and contact the company at 1-800-626-7557 for reimbursement information.

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