Whey Protein Recall Expands to Nutrition Express Products

Concerns over salmonella contamination of whey protein, which led to the recall of a number of Universal Nutrition protein supplements earlier this month, has now resulted in a recall for Nutrition Express products as well.

A Nutrition Express protein powder recall was announced on March 29 by the FDA after an investigation determined that the same whey protein distributor that supplied Universal Nutrition was also used briefly by Nutrition Express. The whey protein may be contaminated with salmonella.

The recall affects a number of Nutrition Express products that use whey protein and were sold between December 1, 2010 and February 17, 2011. The protein powder products were sold in plastic bottles with black lids and colored labels in 5-ounce containers and in containers weighing two, three, or five pounds. The following list of products is included in the Nutrition Express whey protein recall:

• Protein Blend Vanilla 5-Ounce and 5-Pound Lots 55335, 55336, 55337, 55890.
• MuscleFit Vanilla 5-Pound Lot 55419; Chocolate 5-Pound Lots 55423, 55424; Strawberry 5-Pound Lot 55427.
  NutraFit Chocolate 3-Pound Lot 55348; Strawberry 3-Pound Lot 55346.
• WheyFit Protein Vanilla 5-Pound Lot 55609; Chocolate 5-Pound Lots 55407, 55408; Strawberry 5-Pound Lots 55397, 55398; Natural Vanilla 5-Pound Lot 55399; Natural Chocolate 2-Pound and 5-Pound Lot 55393.
• WheyFit Isolate Vanilla 2-Pound Lot 55349; Chocolate 2-Pound and 5-Pound Lots 55302, 54991; Strawberry 5-Pound Lot 55350.

About 450 containers of the recalled protein powder were sold through two Lindberg Nutrition stores in Torrance and Manhattan Beach, California. The protein powders were also sold via direct-to-consumer sales online from Nutrition Express. The company has sent letters to all of the consumers that bought affected containers, and the notice of recall was posted at both stores.

The recall comes less than two weeks after a similar whey protein recall by Universal Nutrition. In both cases, the companies received their whey protein supply from a dairy in Minnesota. None of the recalled protein supplements has tested positive for salmonella and there have been no reports of illnesses or injuries related to the recalled protein supplements.