If you are a frequent buyer of bagged salad or vegetable greens items, you will want to proceed with caution during consumption for the next few weeks.
Dole Fresh Vegetables announced on December 23, 2021, that there would be a recall of 180 different packaged salads due to probable contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The recall affects nine different brands, including Dole-branded salads, Ahold, Lidl, Kroger, Little Salad Bar, Marketside, Naturally Better, Nature’s Promise and Simply Nature. 180 products were spread through 25 states in total.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an announcement stating there is an investigation underway to examine the listeria outbreak that connects to two separate packaged salads produced by Dole. Research is ongoing to determine if more products may be affected.
The recall is directly linked to Dole’s Bessemer City, North Carolina, and Yuma, Arizona, production facilities. Listeria monocytogenes were discovered in a Dole-branded Garden Salad package at the site in North Carolina, as well as a package of shredded iceberg lettuce from the Yuma location, via the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Operations at both spots have been halted to ensure cleaning and sanitation procedures are followed through.
Products in the recall lot
- Packaged products consisting of mixed greens, garden salads, Caesar kits and varying types of salads in bags or clamshells
- “Best if used by” dates from November 30, 2021, to January 8, 2022
- Product lot code begins with the letter “N” or “Y” found in the upper-right corner of packages
A full list of recalled products can be found HERE.
To stay safe…
Dispose of recalled packaged salads and follow cleaning procedures to ensure your space is clean.
Call your healthcare provider if you experience any of the following symptoms following the consumption of packaged salads:
- Pregnant individuals encountering fever, fatigue and muscle aches. Listeria can result in pregnancy loss or premature birth, as well as serious illness or death in newborns.
- Non-pregnant individuals may suffer headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions, paired with fever and muscle aches.
