In 2023, approximately 75% of adults in the U.S., amounting to nearly 200 million individuals, took dietary supplements, as indicated by a survey from the Council for Responsible Nutrition. If you’re one of those people regularly consuming supplements to boost your bone and joint health, it’s essential to pay attention to what’s in the bottle.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a recall on April 15 for 1,483 bottles of Optimal Carnivore LLC’s Bone & Joint Restore supplements distributed across the country.
The Bone & Joint Restore supplement, according to its Amazon page, claims to offer whole bone extract and bovine tracheal cartilage intended to aid healing, boost recovery, and support immunity. Among its touted benefits are promoting “strong healthy bones,” enhancing “joints and connective tissue strength,” and providing “inflammation relief.”
However, the FDA’s reasoning for the recall centers around a “potential for contamination with Salmonella.” An announcement on the product’s website clarifies, “Initial testing at production showed no presence of Salmonella, but routine testing by an independent lab later showed it was present.”
According to the Cleveland Clinic, Salmonella infection can lead to diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain. The bacteria are often transmitted through the consumption or handling of raw eggs, meat, unwashed produce, or untreated water.
Optimal Carnivore stated that they have “not received any reports of illness to date.” Nevertheless, over 1 million Americans are infected with Salmonella each year, leading to hospitalization for approximately 26,500 individuals. Those most at risk include young children, the elderly, and individuals with weakened immune systems.
The FDA categorized this recall as a Class I event, indicating a significant risk that exposure to the product may result in serious health consequences or even death.
The details for the recalled product as noted by the FDA and Optimal Carnivore’s website are as follows:
- Expiration date: 12/2026 (It is unclear if the recalled lot has a specific “best-by” date.)
- Lot #: 1224064 (located on the bottom of the bottle)
- Shipment date: Between 2/1/2025 and 4/9/2025
- Products are sold in plastic bottles containing 180 capsules each. The product’s reported shelf life is two years.
As of this writing, the Bone & Joint Restore supplement is no longer available for purchase on either the company’s website or its Amazon page.
Optimal Carnivore, based in Cheyenne, WY, aims to provide customers with “the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet” through their various supplements, as noted on their website.
In light of this recall, consumers are urged to check their Bone & Joint Restore bottles. If a bottle is part of the affected lot, individuals should reach out to the company at admin [ at] optimalcarnivore.com.
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