Another Salad Recall Just Hit, and This One Affects 19 States

Another salad recall just hit, and this one affects 19 states in the East and Midwest. The FDA has issued a statement, announcing  that the Fresh Express brand is “recalling certain varieties of its branded and private label salad products produced at the company’s Streamwood, Illinois facility.” The recall is due to the product having “the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.”

The states affected by the recall as as follows: 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. Some Canadian shoppers are also impacted by the recall, as the FDA explains that “distribution includes the provinces of Ontario and Manitoba.” A complete list of the products believed to be contaminated can be found here. There is also information regarding possible refunds for anyone who has purchased any of the contaminated products.

In the recall announcement, the FDA explained why Listeria monocytogenes are of such concern and how harmful it can be to the human body. “This organism can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems,” the announcement stated. “Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women. Consumers with these symptoms should consult their health care provider.”

The statement continued, “The recall was necessitated when the Michigan Department of Agriculture received a positive result for Listeria monocytogenes in a random sample test of a single package of Fresh Express 9 oz. Sweet Hearts salad mix with Use-By Date of December 8, 2021, manufactured at the Fresh Express Streamwood facility. The U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported ten illnesses associated with the strain of Listeria monocytogenes detected in the random sample beginning in 2016 to the present. Fresh Express immediately halted all production at the Streamwood facility and initiated a complete sanitation review. Fresh Express has already been in contact with retailers who received the recalled items, instructing them to remove them from store shelves and stop any further shipments to stores from distribution centers and other inventories. In the event consumers have the recalled products in their refrigerators, they should be discarded and not consumed.”

The new recall comes after another salad recall that came this month. On Dec. 13, Taylor Fresh Foods Inc. announced that it was voluntary recalling Taylor Farms brand Maple Bourbon Chopped Kit. That recall was issued after test results from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency showed possible salmonella contamination.