It's time to check your fridge. A recall is being issued for bagged salad sold in 19 different states that has led to one death and at least 10 hospitalizations.
Fresh Express is recalling more than 100 varieties of salad sold under various brand names because the products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
The recalled products were produced at the company's Streamwood, Illinois facility and distributed to stores in 19 states: 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 was sold under brand names including Fresh Express, Giant Eagle, Little Salad Bar, Market District, Marketside, O Organics, Signature Farms, Simply Nature Organic, Weis Fresh From the Field and Wellsley Farms Organic. The recall includes all Use-By Dates of fresh salad items with product codes Z324 through Z350. Click here to see a full list of products.
The recall was issued on December 20, after 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 its Streamwood facility.
"Fresh Express immediately halted all production at the Streamwood facility and initiated a complete sanitation review," the company said in a statement. "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."
The sample result matched an outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes that has been linked to 10 illnesses since 2016, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In addition to the 10 illnesses, the Food and Drug Administration said the outbreak has been associated with 10 hospitalizations and one death spanning the following states: Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Illnesses started on dates ranging from July 26, 2016, to October 19, 2021.
Most people with listeriosis experience fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. If the more severe form of listeriosis develops, symptoms may include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions. For the very young, the elderly and the immune-compromised, listeriosis can result in death. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms, listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.
The FDA said anyone with the recalled salad should "use extra vigilance in cleaning and sanitizing any surfaces and containers that may have come in contact with these products to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. Listeria can survive in refrigerated temperatures and can easily spread to other foods and surfaces."
An investigation into the source of contamination is continuing.
"We will continue to work with our partners and with Fresh Express to determine the source of this outbreak," Frank Yiannas, FDA Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response, said in a statement. "We remain committed to transparency and providing updates as we learn more during our continuing traceback investigation."
Consumers who may have the recalled products in their refrigerators should throw them away. To obtain a refund or for more information, call the Fresh Express Consumer Response Center at 800-242-5472.
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