Some packaged salads sold in KY may be contaminated with listeria. How to check yours
If you’ve recently purchased a prepackaged salad with chicken or ham from a Kentucky retailer, you may want to check a recent public health alert to make sure it’s safe to eat.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service issued a public health alert April 7 for certain prepackaged salads containing chicken and ham. The products may contain lettuce voluntarily recalled for possible listeria contamination.
These products were included in the public health alert and should not be consumed, according to FSIS:
5.5-oz. clear plastic packages containing “Fruit Ridge Farms White Chicken Caesar Salad” with sell by dates 03/10/23 through 04/14/23
4.6-oz. clear plastic packages containing “Fruit Ridge Farms Chef Salad with Ham” with sell by dates 03/10/23 through 04/14/23
5.5-oz. clear plastic packages containing “BELL’S BISTRO White Chicken Caesar Salad” with sell by dates 03/10/23 through 04/14/23
4.6-oz. clear plastic packages containing “BELL’S BISTRO Chef Salad with Ham” with sell by dates 03/10/23 through 04/14/23
“These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase,” FSIS says.
The salads have the number “EST. 17050” or “P-17050” in the USDA inspection mark and were also shipped to Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and Tennessee.
“There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products,” the FSIS statement said. “Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a health care provider.”
The voluntary lettuce recall included products distributed under brand name Revolution Farms sold in Meijer and several other stores, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Listeria outbreaks have also been reported from deli meat and cheese, Enoki mushrooms, ice cream and other foods.
More on listeria
The bacteria “listeria monocytogenes” can cause listeriosis, which approximately 1,600 U.S. residents become seriously ill with each year. Listeria is found in soil and water and can contaminate vegetables and animals.
“Listeria monocytogenes are unlike most bacteria in that they can actually grow at cold temperatures, so the number of bacteria could rise to be a hazardous dose while the food is kept refrigerated in the store or in your home,” a November 2022 University of Kentucky article said.
Pregnant people are 10 times more likely than the general population to get a listeria infection, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports. Listeria infection can cause miscarriages, early labor, stillbirths and can lead to serious illness and death in newborns, according to the CDC.
Possible symptoms of listeriosis include:
Fever
Muscle aches
Nausea
Diarrhea
Headache
Stiff neck
The CDC says those who eat potentially contaminated food and develop a fever and other listeriosis symptoms should seek medical care.
If you ate food that may have been contaminated but you don’t feel sick, “most experts believe you do not need tests or treatment,” the CDC says.
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