Deli salads and cream cheeses have been urgently recalled over potential contamination with deadly bacteria.
New York-based Made Fresh Salads Inc has voluntarily recalled all Ready to Eat Deli Style Salads and cream cheeses because the products may be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes, a type of bacteria that causes severe diarrhea and muscle aches.
The recall includes several dozen containers of ready-made salads and cheeses that were sent to retail stores and distributors across New York City.
Products were distributed in 30lb and 5lb white plastic tubs with a Made Fresh Salads label or a Northside Label and a half-size aluminum pan.
They had expiration dates ranging from September 3 through September 18, which are printed on the bottom left of the label.
The FDA‘s recall notice also states that some products ‘may have been repackaged by retail locations in deli-style or other retail packaging.’
FDA officials said the recall was initiated after sample tests conducted by the agency and the company revealed some areas of the facility producing the products tested positive for listeria monocytogenes.
No illnesses have been reported. While most patients recover on their own, the FDA warned listeria infection can cause organ failure and miscarriage or stillbirth in rare but severe cases.
Ready-made salads and cream cheeses have been urgently recalled over potential contamination with the deadly bacteria listeria
Made Fresh Salads has ceased production and distribution of affected products and is investigating the cause of the contamination.
Consumers who have purchased the products are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Those with questions can contact the company at (718) 765-0082 Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm.
A full list of recalled products can be found on the FDA’s website.
This is the third Made Fresh Salads Inc recall reported within the last year. In October, the company recalled all lots and codes of its LoBoy and Made Fresh Salad brand Macaroni Salad and Tuna Deluxe Salad after New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets inspectors found listeria.
And in February, the company recalled 14 cream cheese and tofu spread items after its own routine sampling found that part of a mixer used to make the finished product had listeria contamination.
Both of those earlier recalls were designated Class I, which signals ‘a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.’
The new recall has not yet been classified.
Listeria, also called listeriosis, is a serious infection caused by eating food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
It can be found in moist environments, soil, water, decaying vegetation and animals, and can survive refrigeration and other food preservation measures.
Many foods can harbor the bug, but it is usually found in unpasteurized milk, soft cheeses and ready-to-eat foods, such as pre-packed sandwiches. Cooked shellfish, cured meats and fish, including sushi and pre-cut fruit, are also a risk.
While most of the 1,250 Americans infected with listeria each year recover on their own, the infection can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms.
It can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.
About 250 Americans die of the infection each year, which can occur if the infection spreads beyond the gut and affects the central nervous system.