Fresh Ideation Recalls Hundreds of Sandwiches, Muffins, and More
The recall comes after listeria was found in the company’s facility
Fresh Ideation, a food preparation and packaging company in Baltimore, Md., has recalled more than 400 ready-to-eat products sold under dozens of brand names because it found listeria in its manufacturing facility. The foods include breakfast and lunch sandwiches, desserts, flatbread pizzas, muffins, noodle bowls, packaged fruit, salads, snacks, wraps, and yogurt parfaits.
Listeria can cause listeriosis, an illness that can be especially dangerous for vulnerable people such as young children, those who are pregnant, and older adults. “Listeria can easily contaminate processing and packing facilities, getting on the equipment, conveyor belts, and other machinery,” says James E. Rogers, PhD, director of food testing and safety at Consumer Reports. No illnesses related to this recall have been reported.
Recalled brands include Bistro to Go, Dietz & Watson, Fresh Creative Cuisine (including Black, Tan, and White Label products), InReach, Naval Academy 1845 Coffee, Orchard Bistro, Quick & Fresh, Shaw’s, and Westin Label. (You can find the full list of products and brands on the Food and Drug Administration’s website.)
The Risk of Listeria
The symptoms of listeriosis can appear anywhere from a day to four weeks after being infected with listeria. Fever, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal issues, muscle aches, and headaches are the most common signs. The infection is most serious when it spreads to the nervous system and causes a stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions. In pregnant people, it can cause pregnancy loss, premature birth, and serious infections in newborns.
About 1,600 people are sickened each year and 260 people die from listeria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
