Vitality Works Inc. of Albuquerque, New Mexico recalled one lot of 365 Whole Foods Market Standardized + Full Spectrum Blend Ashwagandha Capsules on October 30, 2026 because it may be contaminated with Salmonella. The 120-count bottles carry lot number 2025-26227 and were sold from November 24, 2025 through October 20, 2026 at Whole Foods Market stores in 30 states and the District of Columbia and online through Amazon.com. No illnesses have been reported. The company says the contamination was found through routine sampling of a single retail unit.
One bottle tested positive. The rest of the lot had nearly a year to reach medicine cabinets.
The recall notice does not say who did the sampling or which Salmonella serotype was found. What it does say is that the lot was on sale for about eleven months before anyone caught it, and that it carries an expiration date of October 13, 2028. Supplements are bought by the bottle and taken a capsule or two at a time, so a bottle bought last winter may still be half full today. Nothing about a capsule is cooked before it is swallowed. If Salmonella is in the powder, it goes straight in.
Check the bottom of the bottle.
The lot number and expiration date are printed on the bottom of a white plastic bottle labeled 365 Whole Foods Market Standardized + Full Spectrum Blend Ashwagandha, 120 count. Only this lot is recalled.
| Product | Size | UPC | Lot | Expiration | Where and when sold |
| 365 Whole Foods Market Standardized + Full Spectrum Blend Ashwagandha Capsules | 120 count, white plastic bottle | 9948252099 | 2025-26227 | 10/13/2028 | Whole Foods Market stores and Amazon.com, Nov. 24, 2025 – Oct. 20, 2026 |
Table: Recalled product, from the Vitality Works Inc. recall notice posted by FDA on October 30, 2026, compiled October 30, 2026.
The Whole Foods Market states are Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming, plus the District of Columbia. Amazon sales mean a bottle could be anywhere.
Dried botanical powders keep turning up in Salmonella recalls.
Ashwagandha is a root ground into powder, the same kind of low-moisture plant product behind a run of recalls this year. Food Poison Journal has covered moringa recalls tied to Salmonella outbreaks and Salmonella found in Food To Live supergreens. Salmonella does not grow in a dry powder, but it can survive in one for months, and a capsule has no kill step. Dietary supplements do not need FDA approval before they are sold. Here, testing of one finished bottle on a store shelf is what caught the problem.
What to do.
Do not take the capsules. Vitality Works says to throw the bottle away and not return it to the store; refunds are available at any Whole Foods Market store. Questions go to Vitality Works at (505) 268-9950, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mountain Time. If you ordered ashwagandha on Amazon, check your order history and the bottom of the bottle.
Salmonella symptoms start within days, and a fever over 102°F means see a doctor.
Symptoms usually appear 6 hours to 6 days after exposure: diarrhea that may be bloody, fever, nausea, vomiting and stomach cramps, usually lasting four to seven days. The recall notice warns that in rare cases the bacteria reach the bloodstream and cause infected aneurysms, endocarditis and arthritis. Young children, frail or elderly people and people with weakened immune systems face the most serious risk. See a doctor for diarrhea lasting more than two days, bloody stool, a fever over 102°F or signs of dehydration, and ask for a stool culture so the strain can be typed and compared.
Three questions people ask.
Are all 365 Whole Foods Market ashwagandha products recalled?
No. Only lot 2025-26227 of the 120-count Standardized + Full Spectrum Blend capsules, UPC 9948252099, expiration 10/13/2028.
I took some of these capsules and feel fine. What should I do?
Stop taking them and throw the bottle away. No illnesses have been reported. If you develop diarrhea, fever or cramps, see a doctor, mention the recall and ask for a stool test.
Do I have to bring the bottle back to Whole Foods for a refund?
No. The company says to discard the product rather than return it to the store. Refunds are available at any Whole Foods Market store.
Salmonella
Salmonella is a group of bacteria behind one of the most common, and most deadly, foodborne infections in the United States, and it is the leading cause of foodborne hospitalizations and deaths in the country. Symptoms usually appear 6 hours to 6 days after eating contaminated food and include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps lasting four to seven days. Some people go on to develop reactive arthritis or irritable bowel syndrome that lasts long after the infection is over.
Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of Salmonellaoutbreaks. The Salmonella attorneys of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of Salmonella and other foodborne illness outbreaks and have recovered over $850 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation. Our Salmonellalawyers have litigated Salmonella cases stemming from outbreaks traced to poultry, eggs, ground beef, produce, peanut butter, flour, spices, supplements and pet food, against defendants that include some of the largest food companies in the country.
If you or a family member became ill with a Salmonella infection, including reactive arthritis or irritable bowel syndrome, after consuming food and you are interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark Salmonella attorneys for a free case evaluation at 1-800-884-9840.
FAQ
What is Salmonella?
Salmonella is a group of bacteria that live in the intestines of animals and people and spread to food through contaminated water, animal products and food handlers. Infection is called salmonellosis.
Can a dry product like a supplement or spice carry Salmonella?
Yes. Salmonella cannot grow without moisture, but it can survive for long periods in dry foods such as spices, powders, nut butters and flour, and those foods have caused outbreaks.
Can Salmonella cause long-term problems?
Yes. Some people develop reactive arthritis, with joint pain that lasts months or years, or irritable bowel syndrome. In severe cases the bacteria spread to the bloodstream, bones, joints or heart.
Who is most at risk?
Children under five, adults over 65, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are the most likely to be hospitalized.
Can I sue if I got sick from Salmonella?
Yes. If your infection is confirmed by a stool culture and linked to a contaminated product or a recognized outbreak, you may have a claim against the businesses that made, distributed or sold the product. Marler Clark offers a free case evaluation.
Additional Resources
Recent Comments