Salad Kits Sold In 25 States Pulled From Shelves Amid Deadly Listeria Outbreak
Check your fridge! Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc. has issued a voluntary recall of salad kits across 25 states due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, the FDA reports.
Several varieties of Dole, President’s Choice, and Marketside salad kits have been recalled due to potential cross-contamination following a recent recall by cheese manufacturer Rizo-Lopez Foods, which has been linked to a decade-long listeria outbreak that has resulted in two deaths. Find all the details—including what to do if you recently bought one of the recalled products—below.
Salad Kits Recalled for Potential Listeria Monocytogenes
The recalled salad kits from Dole, President's Choice, and Marketside were distributed across AL, CA, CT, FL, GA, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NV, NY, OH, PA, SC, TN, UT, VA, WA and WI, as well as Canadian provinces including Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Ontario, and Quebec.
The FDA reports that "This recall notification is being issued due to the potential for cross-contamination of cheese contained in certain masterpacks by cheese potentially contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes from our packaged cheese supplier," noting that no illnesses have yet been linked to the Dole salad kits.
The recall affects the following Dole-branded and private label salad kits: Dole Chopped Kit Avocado Ranch, Dole Premium Kit Southwest Salad, Dole Cajun Ranch Chopped Kit, Dole Premium Kit Endless Summer, Marketside Chopped Salad Kit Bacon Ranch Crunch, and President's Choice Southwest Salad Kit. Each product has a "best if used by" date between 02/03/24 and 02/21/24. You can find the full list of recalled products here.
Risks of Listeria Infection
Listeria infection poses a significant health risk, particularly to vulnerable groups such as young children, the elderly, and individuals with weakened immune systems. Symptoms of infection include fever, headache, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Pregnant individuals are particularly susceptible, as Listeria infection can lead to miscarriage or stillbirth.
While no illnesses have been reported thus far, Dole Fresh Vegetables is taking proactive measures to safeguard consumer health. Consumers are strongly advised not to consume the affected products and to promptly dispose of them. Consumers are urged to thoroughly check their refrigerators and freezers for the recalled products and dispose of them immediately. Dole retailers have been instructed to remove these items from their shelves and warehouse inventories.
For further information or inquiries regarding the recall, consumers can contact the Dole Consumer Response Center at 800-356-3111, Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 3:00 pm Pacific Time.
Staying on top of recalls like this is an important part of keeping you and your family safe and healthy. In addition to the recent recalls due to potential listeria contamination, others that should be on your radar include ice cream and hummus dips recalled for undeclared allergens.
Stay safe!
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