Dole Fresh Vegetables Inc. is recalling from the markets prepackaged salads containing iceberg lettuce which were distributed in several states including California, due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.
According to the January 7 recall notice posted on the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) website, the affected products are Dole-branded and private label packaged salads processed at the firm’s Soledad, California and Springfield, Ohio production facilities.
According to Dole, compromised products have a product code beginning with the either letter “W” or “B.” Affected items will also have “Best if Used By” date between Dec. 22 and Jan. 9.
Retailers have been advised to check store shelves and warehouse inventories to confirm that no recalled product including Dole’s Very Veggie, Greener Selection, American, Garden Salad and Country Ranch Kit, among others, is available for purchase by consumers.
Consumers have also been advised to throw out the recalled items. The full list of the products can be found on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website: https://www.fda.gov
Dole made the recall of its prepackaged salads after it found that the equipment used in the harvesting of the raw iceberg lettuce material used in these finished products was found to contain Listeria monocytogenes.
Recalled salad items from the Soledad, California facility were distributed in 30 states. Aside from California, the products were also distributed in Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, among others.
Recalled salad items from the Springfield, Ohio facility were distributed in 25 states including Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska and New York, among others.
According to the FDA, Listeria infection can cause high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.
It can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women and can be deadly for young children, elderly and others with weakened immune systems.
According to Dole, no illnesses have been reported with the products being recalled to date. Consumers can contact the Dole Consumer Response Center at 800-356-3111 with questions about the recall.
