Recalled guacamole hits FDA’s highest risk level. Here’s what could happen if you eat it

The recalled products may be contaminated with salmonella, which can cause diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps and, in some cases, serious illness.

If you have guacamole from Whole Foods in your refrigerator, you might want to check its best-by date. The Food and Drug Administration has classified a recent recall of mild guacamole and salsa dips sold at Whole Foods Market as Class I, the most serious type of recall, over potential salmonella contamination.

According to recall guidance from the FDA, a recall of this nature means there is “reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to” the recalled item “will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.”

The recall, initiated on August 7, includes 10 different varieties of guacamole and salsa dip and impacts 12,995 units of the refrigerated product. The best-before or best-by dates range from August 7, 2026, to August 16, 2026. The full list of products in various sizes and their PLU codes can be found here.

No illnesses have been reported to date in relation to the products. However, the recall is linked to a recent salmonella outbreak, which led to a recall of jalapeños that were distributed nationwide by Coast Citrus Distributors, a San Diego-based company with suppliers in the U.S. and Mexico. The affected jalapeños, supplied by a grower in Sinaloa, Mexico, were distributed in 26 states and have been connected to hundreds of cases of illness.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the outbreak has sickened at least 431 people, including 86 recent cases. Fifty-seven people have been hospitalized across 32 states.

The CDC explains that if you have the potentially contaminated jalapeños or products made from them, you should immediately throw them out.

The organization also listed a host of symptoms that could result from eating something contaminated with salmonella. These include diarrhea and a fever higher than 102 degrees, diarrhea for more than two days that is not improving, bloody diarrhea, so much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down, and signs of dehydration such as not urinating enough, feeling dizzy, and a dry throat and mouth.

The CDC says that while most people recover in about four to seven days, adults older than 65, children younger than 5, and those with weakened immune systems are at a heightened risk for “more severe illnesses” due to salmonella.

A Whole Foods spokesperson told People magazine in an email: “Nothing matters more to us than our customers’ safety. We’ve pulled all recalled products from our shelves. Customers who purchased any of these products from us should throw them away and contact us for a refund.”