UPDATE 7/2/12: On Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that Dole Fresh Vegetables is voluntarily recalling 2,598 bags of Dole Hearts of Romaine for potential listeria contamination.
The product, coded 0540N165112A or B, has a use-by date of June 26 and was distributed in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. No illnesses have yet been reported.
PREVIOUSLY:
Dole Fresh Vegetables is recalling 1,077 cases of bagged salad, citing a possible Listeria risk. The recall is voluntarily and concerns bags most likely no longer on shelves. No illnesses have yet been reported.
Said Dole in a release:
This precautionary recall notification is being issued due to an isolated instance in which a sample of Marketside Leafy Romaine salad yielded a positive result for Listeria monocytogenes in a random sample test conducted by the State of North Carolina.
The products were distributed in six states, including Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. The salads in question are as follows:
- Kroger Fresh Selections Greener Supreme coded N158 211B 1613 KR04 with Use-by date of June 19 and UPC 11110 91039
- Kroger Fresh Selections Leafy Romaine coded N158 111B KR11 with Use-by date of June 19 and UPC 11110 91046
- Wal Mart Marketside Leafy Romaine coded N158111B with Use-by date of June 19 and UPC code 81131 02781
Food Safety News explains the risk posed by listeria, a dangerous type of food poisoning:
Listeria monocytogenes can cause serious foodborne illness and is especially a risk for those who are immune-compromised like the elderly or pregnant women. Symptoms of infection may include fever, muscle aches, gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea or diarrhea.
This isn't the first time Dole has recalled salads for fear of contamination. In April, the company took 756 cases of bagged salad off shelves due to a salmonella risk.