BrightFarms, Dole, Fresh Express, and Ready Pac Salad Kits Recalled
The products were made with recalled cotija cheese linked to a listeria outbreak in 11 states
BrightFarms, Dole, Fresh Express, and Ready Pac have recalled various salad kits that contain cotija cheese. The cheese was supplied by Rizo-López Foods, which this week recalled nearly 60 types of Hispanic-style cheese and other dairy products linked to a listeriosis outbreak, the illness caused by the bacteria listeria monocytogenes. Twenty-six people across 11 states have been sickened by these dairy products, and two people have died.
There are currently no reports of illness related to any of the recalled salad kits.
How to Get a Refund
If you’ve purchase any of the recalled salad kits, contact the companies for a refund:
Albertsons Companies’ Customer Service Center: 877-723-3929, Monday through Friday, 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. PT.
BrightFarms: 866-857-8745, 8:00 a.m to 6:00 p.m. ET, or email (info@brightfarms.com) with the subject line "Recall."
Dole Consumer Response Center: 800-356-3111, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. PT.
Fresh Express Consumer Response Center: 800-242-5472, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET.
Ready Pac Foods Consumer Affairs: 800-800-7822, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT, or email (bfa-consumer.affairs@bonduelle.com).
The Risk of Listeria
“Listeria is a hardy germ that can be difficult to fully remove from food processing facilities. It can easily spread from contaminated equipment or surfaces to food,” a Food and Drug Administration spokesperson told CR. “If the source of contamination is not identified, Listeria on the contaminated equipment or surface can remain [there] for many years, continue to spread to food, and make people sick.”
Most healthy adults experience symptoms—fever, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal problems, muscle aches, and headaches—become better on their own. The infection can also spread to the nervous system and cause people to experience a stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions.
However, for a small number of people, the listeria infection can become much more serious, making it the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness. The people at highest risk for severe illness from listeriosis are young children, adults 65 and older, those who are pregnant or who have a weakened immune system due to medical conditions or treatments.
Symptoms typically appear within two weeks after consuming contaminated food, although they can emerge anywhere from a day, up to four weeks.
