Dole Fresh Vegetables recalls packaged salads due to possible listeria contamination
Dole Fresh Vegetables has announced a voluntary precautionary recall of all Dole-branded and private label packaged salads processed at its Bessemer City, NC and Yuma, AZ processing facilities due to a possible health risk from listeria.
The announcement comes in the same week Fresh Express also recalled numerous products that were also linked to a listeria outbreak.
The CDC said on Thursday that these are two separate listeria outbreaks.
Dole said it is also temporarily suspending operations at both facilities to conduct an extensive cleaning and sanitation protocol.
The company said products subject to the voluntary recall are identified by a product lot code beginning with either the letter “N” or “Y” in the upper right-hand corner of the package and will have a “Best if Used By” date between November 30, 2021, and January 8, 2022.
Consumers who still have any of these products in their refrigerators are urged not to consume the product and to discard it immediately.
Recalled salad items from the Bessemer City facility were distributed in the states of AL, CT, FL, GA, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MS, NC, NY, OH, PA, SC, TN, and VA. Recalled salad items from the Yuma facility were distributed in the states of AL, AZ, CT, FL, IA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MI, MN, MS, NC, ND, NY, OH, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, and WI.
No products produced from Dole facilities in Springfield, OH (production/lot codes beginning with “W”) or Soledad, CA (production/lot codes beginning with “B”) are included in these voluntary recalls.
In addition, no other Dole products, including “ready-to-eat” salad products, fresh fruit, and field-packed fresh vegetables, are part of these voluntary recalls and are safe to consume.
The CDC said that in the listeria outbreak linked to Fresh Express packaged salads, ten people infected with the outbreak strain have been reported from eight states. Ten people have been hospitalized. One death has been reported.
In the listeria outbreak linked to Dole packaged salads, sixteen people infected with the outbreak strain have been reported from thirteen states. Twelve people have been hospitalized. Two deaths have been reported.
Read the full company announcement here.