Do YOU have any of these pre-made salads in your fridge? Throw them in the trash NOW

By Liam On Apr 10, 2023

Two major salad kit manufacturers have pulled some of their products from store shelves over concerns that they may be contaminated with Listeria.

Fresh Express announced a voluntary recall of three kits in particular on Friday, all of which were already past their sell-by dates by the time the recall was issued. Although they are no longer in stores, they may still be in consumer refrigerators. They all have product code G075.

Michigan Revolution Farms expanded its voluntary recall last week to include all products sold under his brand name.

In both cases, the voluntary recalls were announced after random testing of samples of one of each company’s products at various distribution locations showed a positive result for Listeria monocytogenes, a species of bacteria that causes a rare but very serious foodborne illness.

Affected Fresh Express products were sold in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. The recalled Revolution Farms products were sold in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin.

Revolution Farms recalled more than a dozen salad kits and 10 bulk products over concerns they contained Listeria

Fresh Express’s recall of a ‘limited quantity of three types of products with an already expired best before date’ has been made out of great caution due to a possible contamination with Listeria

The recall was initiated when it was learned that a random sample test of a single salad kit with a March 31, 2023 expiration date collected by the Georgia Department of Agriculture yielded a positive result for the Listeria pathogen.

The recall was initiated when the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development received a positive result for Listeria monocytogenes in a random sample test of a package of Revolution Farms Green Sweet Crisp 5 oz. Retail with an expiration date of April 2, 2023

The Revolution Farms recall was voluntarily expanded on April 6, 2023, when the recalled product was epidemiologically linked to an outbreak of listeriosis in multiple states

Detecting cases of dangerous pathogens in circulating products is the purview of the Food and Drug Adminsitration. Earlier this year, the agency announced large-scale recalls of more than 400 ready-to-eat foods in stores across the country that were feared to be contaminated with Listeria.

What is Listeriosis?

Where is it from?

Listeriosis is caused by infection by the germ Listeria monocytogenes
Listeria can be found everywhere in the environment
It is a type of bacteria that infects humans and other warm-blooded animals through contaminated food
It is found in dirty water, irrigation water, soil and fertilizer
soft cheeses such as Camembert; cold chicken and cold cuts; raw seafood and cold seafood such as smoked salmon; ice, fresh fruit and bagged vegetables can also carry Listeria
Contamination can also arise from contact with animals and vermin and inadequate cleaning of contaminated fruit and unclean hands

Who is most at risk of serious illness?

Pregnant women, infants, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems are most at risk

What are the symptoms?

Listeria starts with flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, muscle aches, nausea, and sometimes diarrhea
The time between consuming the bacteria and showing the signs of illness can often be between 8 and 90 days
Some people end up in the hospital with dehydration

How can it be avoided?

Do not buy bruised or damaged fruit, wash before eating and refrigerate within two hours of cutting
Avoid foods that have passed their expiration date or expiration date
Cook food thoroughly
Reheat the food until it is steaming hot
Refrigerate leftovers immediately and use within 24 hours, or freeze
Ready-to-eat foods should never be kept in the refrigerator for too long, as Listeria is one of the few pathogens that can grow in the refrigerator

Leading up to the Fresh Express recall, a salad package sample collected by the Georgia Department of Agriculture on March 31 yielded evidence of the Listeria pathogen.

Revolution Farms announced its voluntary recall on April 5 after the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development found evidence of the pathogen in a random sample test of a package of Revolution Farms Green Sweet Crisp 5 oz. Retail with an expiration date of April 2, 2023.

The company subsequently noted that the recalled product may have played a role in a multi-state outbreak of listeriosis, the infection caused by the Listeria bacteria, and expanded the voluntary recall to include more products across a wide range of supermarkets.

Listeriosis usually occurs after a person has eaten contaminated food, usually hot dogs and processed meats, fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, especially melons, and unpasteurized dairy products.

Among other things, the pathogen is unique in that it causes foodborne illness by thriving in low temperatures, such as in a refrigerator, and can multiply to dangerous levels during storage.

Anyone can get listeriosis, but infection is most dangerous in seniors, people with weak or compromised immune systems, pregnant women, and developing fetuses.

Symptoms of infection are usually symptoms somewhat similar to the flu – chills, fever, aches, nausea and vomiting.

But within those specific groups, infection can be fatal. For example, listeriosis can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, and death in newborn babies without timely treatment.

Even with adequate antibiotic treatment, the disease has a high mortality rate up to 30 percent.

And more than 90 percent of people with listeriosis are hospitalized, often in intensive care units.

In the U.S., an estimated 1,600 people become ill with Listeria each year and about 260 die, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

No illnesses associated with the recalled products have yet been reported.

But the GGD is currently investigating an outbreak of Listeria based on samples from sick people collected as far back as July 2018.

As of February 15, 2023, the CDC has reported a total of 11 people infected with the outbreak strain.

However, that total is likely an underestimate, as some people recover without medical care and are not tested for Listeria.