The California Department of Public Health warned consumers not to buy alfalfa sprouts manufactured by two Californian companies, as tests have found they may contain Salmonella.

The tests were made after several illnesses have been reported across the state. The manufacturers voluntarily decided to recall their products from grocery stories and distributors, officials said.

Salmonella is a bacterium that causes typhoid fever, paratyphoid fever and even death. Symptoms include fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. The public health department recommends to those who suspect they are ill to refrigerate the remains of the sprouts and contact Environmental Health Services.

The two companies that recalled their products from the market are Salad Cosmo USA Corp. of Dixon, California and J.H. Caldwell and Sons Inc. of Maywood, California.

The Salad Cosmo sprouts were recalled from retail stores such as Savemart Supermarket and from wholesale distributors throughout California and Washington. The codes on the recalled containers are 0219, 0220, 0221, 0222, 0223, 0224, 0226, 0227, 0228, 0229, 0302 and 0303.

The second company recalled Always Fresh and Alfa Fresh and Alfa One alfalfa sprouts from wholesale distributors and retail grocery stores, including Beach Market, KV Mart and Superior Warehouse, and to Trader Joes grocery stores in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. The recalled products’ codes are 202182, 202192, 202202, 202212, 202222, 202232, 202242, 202252, 202262, and 202272.

People who bought these products are asked to immediately return them to the store where they were purchased or to throw them away.

Apparently, the sprouts are often a risky type of food, as they are usually eaten raw, and the bacteria in them are not destroyed through cooking.