Nearly 100K pounds of salad products recalled due to possible E. coli contamination
Nearly 100,000 pounds of salad products containing meat and poultry have been recalled due to possible E. coli contamination, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Thursday.
The FSIS says the lettuce ingredient may be contaminated with E. coli 0157:H7.
The approximate 97,272 pounds of salad products items were produced from October 14, 2019 through October 16, 2019.
The products subject to recall bear establishment number "EST. 18502B" inside the USDA mark of inspection, according to FSIS' statement.
Product brands include Bonduelle, Aldi Bistro, Marketside, Target Good & Gather, Ready Pac, Domino's and Signature Farms.
These items were shipped to distribution locations in Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia and Wisconsin.
For a full list of recalled products, click here.
As part of a foodborne illness outbreak investigation, the Maryland Department of Health collected an unopened package of Ready Pac Bistro Chicken Raised Without Antibiotics Caesar Salad with FSIS EST number 18502B on the label.
The state collected and tested individual ingredients in the salad and the lettuce tested positive for E. coli O157:H7.
All products from the same lot of lettuce are included in the recall.
Officials say most people infected with STEC 0157:H7 develop diarrhea and vomiting. Vigorous rehydration and other supportive care is the usual treatment; antibiotic treatment is generally not recommended.
Most people recover within a week, but, rarely, some develop a more severe infection.
A total of 17 people from 8 states -- Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Maryland, Montana, Washington and Wisconsin -- have reported being infected with E.coli, the CDC said in a statement. Of those infected, 7 people were hospitalized.
"FSIS is concerned that some product may be in distribution centers, restaurants, or institutional refrigerators or freezers. Restaurants and institutions that have purchased these products are urged not to serve them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase," a statement reads.
Consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact Mary Toscano, Consumer Affairs Manager for Bonduelle at 1-800-800-7822.
