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Recall alert! Packaged salads linked to deaths and illness across the US
Listeria is a type of bacteria that can cause high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. It can also be fatal in children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems.
That’s why it’s so important to take notice when food products are recalled over listeria risks. Earlier in December, pork products sold across the country were recalled due to possible contamination.
Now a new listeria outbreak has been discovered, this time involving two companies that produce packaged salads. These recalls aren’t out of an abundance of caution, with dozens of illness already reported across a number of states — and at least three deaths.
Here’s the backstory
Together with salmonella infection, listeria is one of the leading causes of food-borne illnesses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that around 1,600 people are infected with Listeria each year. Of those, about 260 died.
The latest listeria contamination involves several salad products from Dole and Fresh Express. According to the CDC, the latter is linked to 10 illnesses and at least 1 death, while the Dole recall is tied to 12 hospitalizations so far and 2 deaths.
Recall of Fresh Express
On Dec. 20, Fresh Express recalled a number of its packaged salad products after the Michigan Department of Agriculture identified listeria in a bag of Fresh Express Sweet Hearts. The recalled products had been available through retailers in states including Connecticut, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Wisconsin.
The salad greens and kits were produced at Fresh Express’s Streamwood, Illinois facility and include:
| Product | Product Code | UPC Code |
| Bowl & Basket Baby Spinach 16oz | Z324 through Z350 | 041190066360 |
| Bowl & Basket Spring Mix 16oz | Z324 through Z350 | 041190066469 |
| Fresh Express 50/50 Mix 10oz | Z324 through Z350 | 071279275062 |
| Fresh Express 50/50 Mix 5oz | Z324 through Z350 | 071279271033 |
| Fresh Express 5-Lettuce Mix 6oz | Z324 through Z350 | 071279251011 |
| Fresh Express American 11 oz | Z324 through Z350 | 071279241005 |
| Fresh Express America’s Fresh 3 Color Deli Cole Slaw 14 oz | Z324 through Z350 | 071279123004 |
| Fresh Express America’s Fresh 3 Color Deli Cole Slaw 24 oz | Z324 through Z350 | 071279127019 |
| Fresh Express America’s Fresh Old Fashioned Cole Slaw 14oz | Z324 through Z350 | 071279123011 |
| Fresh Express Baby Kale Mix 5 oz | Z324 through Z350 | 071279271224 |
| Fresh Express Baby Spinach 10 oz | Z324 through Z350 | 071279275048 |
| Fresh Express Baby Spinach 20 oz | Z324 through Z350 | 071279271262 |
| Fresh Express Baby Spinach 5 oz | Z324 through Z350 | 071279271002 |
| Fresh Express Caesar Chopped Kit 9.4 oz | Z324 through Z350 | 071279309194 |
| Fresh Express Chopped Kit Asian 12.3 oz | Z324 through Z350 | 071279302027 |
| Fresh Express Chopped Kit Avocado Ranch 12.8 oz | Z324 through Z350 | 071279309439 |
| Fresh Express Chopped Kit Bacon Thousand Island 9.4 oz | Z324 through Z350 | 071279302096 |
| Fresh Express Chopped Kit Bacon & Bleu 10.8 oz | Z324 through Z350 | 071279306063 |
| Fresh Express Chopped Kit Chipotle Cheddar 11.4 oz | Z324 through Z350 | 071279306049 |
| Fresh Express Chopped Kit Pomegranate 10.3oz |
In addition to the U.S., the affected products were distributed through the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba. They have also been sold under different brand names, which include Bowl & Basket, Giant Eagle, Little Salad Bar, Market District, Marketside, O Organics, Signature Farms, Simply Nature, Weis and Wellsley Farms Organic.
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