Every year, the Food and Drug Administration and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recall hundreds of food and household products to keep customers safe. Recently, a well-known salad mix brand issued a recall for several of its products. Even though the salads were past their “Best If Used By” date, they somehow made it on store shelves in several states across the country.
What Types Of Salads Were Recalled?
Dole Fresh Vegetables recalled several varieties of garden salad mixes because they tested positive for listeria monocytogenes. According to the company, the bags of salad were only sold in ten states and were well-passed their expiration date (October 25 was the “Best If Used By” date).
However, due to the severity of listeria, the Food and Drug Administration strongly recommends throwing the salad mixes away immediately if you recently purchased them.
That said, Dole recalled four kinds of its salad mixes, which include the following: the 24-ounce Dole Garden Salad, the 24-ounce Marketside Classic Salad, the 12-ounce Kroger Brand Garden Salad, and the 12-ounce Salad Classics Garden Salad. The states where these salad mixes were sold include parts of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, the recall was issued after one sample of the garden salad mix tested positive for the bacterium. The sample test was random and conducted by the Department of Agriculture earlier this week.
What Is Listeria?
Listeriosis is a severe infection that usually is caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. Among those most at risk for the disease include pregnant women and their newborns, adults over the age of 65, and people with a weaker immune system. Although the infection is rare (only about 1,600 people get infected each year), it is crucial to treat it as soon as you notice symptoms.
Like other foodborne germs, listeria can cause fever, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. In cases of pregnant women, other symptoms can include fatigue and muscle aches and could potentially lead to miscarriages or premature delivery.
Symptoms can also include headaches, confusion, convulsions, loss of balance, and stiff neck for people who aren’t pregnant. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention notes symptoms usually start one to four weeks after eating the contaminated food and last for up to 70 days after exposure.
