Dole, Marketside, President’s Choice, Kroger, other brands of salads recalled for Listeria risk

Dole Fresh Vegetables Inc. is recalling all Dole-branded and private label packaged salads described below processed at its Springfield, OH, and Soledad, CA, production facilities containing iceberg lettuce, because of a possible health risk from Listeria monocytogenes.

Dozens of products are subject to this recall. Some of the products were distributed in Canada. Most of the products were distributed to retailers in the United States.

This recall is in addition to recent salad recalls by Dole.

There is concern that some of the products may still be in consumers’ home refrigerators because of the use-by dates, witch run into January.

This recall is being issued after harvest equipment used in the harvesting of the raw iceberg lettuce material used in these finished products was tested by Dole and found to contain Listeria monocytogenes.

Products subject to the voluntary recall from Springfield, OH are identified by a product lot code beginning with the letter “W” and a “Best if Used By” date between Dec. 22, 2021, and Jan. 9, 2022.

Products subject to the voluntary recall from Soledad, CA, are identified by a product lot code beginning with the letter “B” and a “Best if Used By” date between Dec. 23, 2021, and Jan. 8, 2022.

The product lot codes are located in the upper-right-hand corner of the package.

“Consumers who still have any of these products in their refrigerators are urged not to consume the product and to discard it immediately. No illnesses have been reported with the products being recalled to date,” according to the Dole recall notice posted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Listing of products subject to each of these recalls is set forth below.

Recalled salad items from the Springfield facility were distributed in the states of AL, CO, CT, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, NC, NE, NY, OH, PA, SC, TN, VA and WI. Additionally, these salads were distributed in the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Ontario, and Quebec.

Recalled salad items from the Soledad facility were distributed in the states of AL, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, MI, MN, MO, MS, MD, ND, NE, NV, NY, OK, OR, PA, TX, UT, VA, WA and WI. Additionally, these salads were distributed in the following Canadian provinces: Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan.

Dole retailers have been advised to check store shelves and warehouse inventories to confirm that no recalled product is available for purchase by consumers.

Retailer and consumer questions about the voluntary recalls should be directed to the Dole Consumer Response Center at 800-356-3111, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pacific time.

Dole Fresh Vegetables is coordinating closely with regulatory officials.

About Listeria infections
Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look or smell spoiled but can still cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections. Anyone who has eaten any recalled products and developed symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical treatment and tell their doctors about the possible Listeria exposure.

Also, anyone who has eaten any of the recalled products should monitor themselves for symptoms during the coming weeks because it can take up to 70 days after exposure to Listeria for symptoms of listeriosis to develop.

Symptoms of Listeria infection can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness. Specific laboratory tests are required to diagnose Listeria infections, which can mimic other illnesses.

Pregnant women, the elderly, young children, and people such as cancer patients who have weakened immune systems are particularly at risk of serious illnesses, life-threatening infections, and other complications. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, their infections can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth.

(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)