WASHINGTON – Ghiringhelli Specialty Foods, a Vallejo, Calif., establishment, is recalling approximately 33,610 pounds of Broccoli Slaw & Kale Salad with White Chicken Meat product that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.
The Trader Joe’s Broccoli Slaw & Kale Salad with White Chicken Meat product that is affected by this recall was produced April 26 through May 1, 2016, and has “USE BY” labels on the plastic packaging containing dates 05/02 through 05/07. The following products are subject to recall: [View Labels (PDF Only)]
- 9.3-OZ. clear plastic container packages with the label “Trader Joe’s Broccoli Slaw & Kale Salad with White Chicken Meat; Sunflower Seeds, Cranberries and a sweet & Spicy Vinaigrette.”
The products subject to recall bear establishment number “P-17156” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to Trader Joe’s distributors in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah.
The problem was discovered on May 3, 2016, when the company’s vendor of sunflower seeds notified the company that the product might have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. According to the recalling firm, all affected product has been removed from the market channels. FSIS will verify removal through recall effectiveness checks.
Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns. Less commonly, persons outside these risk groups are affected.
Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract. In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn. In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics. Persons in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell the health care provider about eating the contaminated food.
Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.
FSIS advises all consumers to reheat ready-to-eat product until steaming hot.
Media and consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact Mike Ghiringhelli, Jr., General Manager, at (707) 561-7670 extension 105.
Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov or via smartphone at m.askkaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day. The online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/reportproblem.
Source: USDA FSIS
