Kratom Powder Recall Issued Over Salmonella Poisoning Risks

A recall has been issued for several brand name kratom products, including Kraken Kratom, Phytoextractum and Soul Speciosa, amid an ongoing salmonella food poisoning outbreak that has sickened dozens of people nationwide. 

The FDA announced the PDX Aromatics kratom recall on March 10, following notification from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) that routine testing confirmed the presence of Salmonella, which could be linked to a multi-state Salmonella outbreak that has sickened at least 40 individuals and hospitalized 14 people.

The routine testing was prompted after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the likely link between kratom and Salmonella illnesses. However, the CDC has not yet confirmed a specific connection with PDX kratom powders.

Salmonella infections can cause mild to severe health consequences depending upon the individual. The bacteria may cause a healthy person to experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain whereas the young or elderly with weakened immune systems may face more severe consequences, including fatal infections.

Among pregnant women, salmonella poisoning may cause still births and miscarriages. Occasionally, salmonella infections may travel through the bloodstream and produce illnesses such as arterial infections, endocarditis and arthritis, which can cause severe to potentially life threatening health consequences.

The recalled products include PDX Aromatics kratom products that were sold under the brand names Kraken Kratom, Phytoextractum and Soul Speciosa in either 28 grams, 56 grams, or 112 gram weights. For a full list of the recalled lot numbers included in the recall, please visit the FDA’s official recall notice.

According to the recall notice, PDX Aromatics of Portland, Oregon identified the source of the contamination as coming from one of its suppliers. The company has removed the particular supplier from their supply chain and is working to remove all potentially impacted products from their facility.

PDX Aromatics has ceased distribution of all kratom products while they work with the FDA to perform a facility audit and properly destroy all recalled products upon return.

Customers are being asked to stop consuming all recalled kratom products and to contact the PDX Aromatics at 503-850-9225 or email them at media@pdxaromatics.com for information on how to return or dispose of the products.

Just last month, FDA issued a Kratom warning citing new research linking the herbal supplement to 44 deaths. The FDA warns that kratom products may not be safe for medicinal purposes, indicating that the chemical compounds of the supplement are similar to opioid painkillers, which are highly addictive and often abused.

The FDA released a kratom destruction notice last week as well, calling for the voluntary destruction and recall of a large volume of kratom-containing dietary supplements manufactured and distributed under the brand names Botany Bay, Enhance Your Life, and Divinity Products Distribution of Grain Valley, Missouri.

The FDA announcement encouraged all manufacturers of kratom products designed for human consumption to take similar steps to remove their products from the market and properly destroy them.