‘Do not consume’: Consumers warned not to eat recalled organic chia seeds amid salmonella concerns

Left Coast Organics brand organic chia seeds recalled due to salmonella risk. (Handout)

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has announced a recall of organic chia seeds due to a possible salmonella contamination.

Left Coast Naturals is recalling 900-gram packages of their organic chia seeds, the CFIA recall warning said.

According to the health agency, the affected products have best before dates of Nov. 13 and Nov. 14, both in 2026, and are sold in five provinces: Ontario, Alberta, B.C., Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The affected products also have a Universal Product Code (UPC) of 625691 21034 9.

“This recall was triggered by a recall in another country,” the warning said, although it did not specify which country.

The CFIA said that there are no reported illnesses linked with the consumption of these chia seeds.

“Do not consume, serve, use, sell, or distribute recalled products,” the recall said, adding that consumers should throw out the chia seeds or return it to the store where they were purchased.

Salmonella is a bacteria that can cause serious illness, particularly in young children, pregnant women, older adults and people with weakened immune systems, the recall said.

Food contaminated with salmonella may not smell or look spoiled, making it difficult to detect without testing, it added.

Symptoms of infection include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhea, and in some cases, long-term complications can occur.