California Company Recalls Eat Smart Salads for Listeria Contamination
Apio Inc. of Guadalupe, Calif., is voluntarily recalling its Eat Smart Single-Serve Salad Shake Ups for listeria contamination. According to a report on the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA), website, the recall comes after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency informed that company that one random sample of Eat Smart Sweet Kale/Chous Frise Doux salads with a best-by date of Dec. 14, 2018 tested positive for listeria bacteria. As a precautionary measure, the company has recalled all products produced on the same day in the same production line. So far, the company says it is not aware of any illnesses linked to these products.
These salads were shipped to retail and distributor customers in California and several other states as well as parts of Canada. Anyone who has these products at home is urged not to eat them. The recalled salads should be disposed of immediately or returned to a place of purchase for a refund. To find out which lots have been affected, visit Apio’s website at eatsmart.net or call them at 1-800-626-2746. Apio says it has already notified all retail and distributor customers who got the affected products.
What is Listeria?
Listeria is an organism, which could cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened or compromised immune systems. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 1,600 people get listeriosis each year in the United States, and about 260 die. Some of the common symptoms of listeria include severe headaches, fever, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Listeria infections could also cause stillbirths and miscarriages in pregnant women.
Preventing Listeria
Here are a few tips to prevent listeriosis:
- Be sure to rinse raw produce thoroughly before cooking, cutting or eating.
- Scrub produce such as melons and cucumbers firmly with a produce brush.
- Wash hands, utensils, counters and cutting boards after handling uncooked foods.
- Clean and disinfect all spills from lunch meats, raw meat, hot dogs and poultry.
- Cook all raw foods from animal sources to a safe internal temperature.
- Do not consume raw or unpasteurized milk. Also, do not eat food with raw milk in them such as cheeses.
If You Have Been Sickened
If you have been sickened by a defective or contaminated food product, you may be able to seek compensation for damages such as medical expenses, lost wages, hospitalization and pain and suffering. Contact an experienced California food poisoning lawyer who can help protect your rights and hold the at-fault parties accountable.