Health Warning Issued For Cactus Sold At Sacramento La Superior Locations

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — The California Department of Public Health issued a warning for consumers not to eat cactus imported from Mexico and sold at certain stores because of a health risk.

The cactus was sold at La Superior SuperMercados in Sacramento, Stockton, Woodland and Pittsburg between Feb. 6 and Feb. 12.

A surveillance sample from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation found a monocrotophos, an organophosphate based pesticide barred from sale in the U.S. since 1989.

No illnesses have been reported, but symptoms can include diarrhea, vomiting and permanent nerve damage.

Washing and peeling the cactus before preparing can remove some of the pesticide, but public health highly recommends that consumers throw out any suspect cactus.