Over 400 Different Types Of Foods Recalled Due To Bacterial Contamination
Fresh Ideation Food Group LLC has recalled its ready-made sandwiches, salads, and fruit cups due to potential listeria contamination.
If you live along the East Coast and have yogurt, ready-made sandwiches, salads, or fruit cups in your fridge, they might be part of the latest food recall. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Friday that more than 400 food products sold under various brand names were being recalled due to possible Listeria contamination. The foods were sold in nine states and Washington DC between January 24 and January 30.
The products on the food recall list were manufactured by Fresh Ideation Food Group LLC in Baltimore, Maryland. They were sold and distributed in Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia. Not only were the products sold at retail locations, they were also found in vending machines and distributed by transportation providers during travel.
The official FDA food recall shows a complete list of potentially contaminated products, which includes everything from breakfast sandwiches to desserts. A variety of catering meals is also on the list, along with meal bowls and dozens of fresh-cut vegetable and fruit snack cups. All recalled products have a Fresh Creative Cuisine label or identifier on the bottom of the label and “sell by” dates that fall between January 31 and February 6, 2023.
Other brand names to look for include Bistro to Go, Quick & Fresh, and Westin Label. The company said in its press release that they initiated the food recall after the company had environmental samples come back positive for Listeria. So far, no illnesses have been reported to date.
Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious or possibly fatal infections in young children, elderly or frail people, and those with weakened immune systems. Healthy people usually only experience short-term symptoms including fever, headache, stiffness, nausea, and diarrhea. One of the more serious complications of Listeria infection affects pregnant women as it can spread through the placenta, causing miscarriages, stillbirths, premature birth, and serious illness or death in newborns.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Listeriosis affects around 1,600 people each year, of which about 260 die. Other recent outbreaks of Listeria monocytogenes resulting in a food recall include enoki mushrooms in late January and deli meats and cheeses last November. Listeria spreads easily in delis and commercial food prep areas because it can persist for a long time on food equipment.
Listeria is different from many other foodborne pathogens in that it has a wide range of time between exposure and the onset of symptoms. You may begin to feel ill the same day you eat food contaminated with Listeria, or symptoms may delay as long as 70 days after ingestion. In most cases, symptoms of severe illness will begin within two weeks of eating the tainted food.
Listeriosis is diagnosed after a bacterial culture grows the bacterium in a body tissue or fluid sample. It is treated with antibiotics. Fresh Ideation Food Group urges consumers who have purchased the products on the food recall list to call the company at (855) 969-3338 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time.
