Trader Joe’s Announces More Recalls Related to Listeria Contamination

Trader Joe’s is issuing a product defect recall for 33,610 pounds of kale and broccoli salad for potential listeria contamination. According to a report on Fortune.com, these recalled items were shipped to retail locations in California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah.

The recall comes just days after CRF Frozen Foods said it would recall its frozen fruit and vegetable products including those sold at Trader Joe’s. The retailer also said that the new recall involves different strain of bacteria found in the prepared-foods area.

Two Listeria-Related Recalls

This time, the listeria bacteria were found in 9.3-ounce packages of broccoli slaw and kale salad with white chicken meat, sunflowers, cranberries and sweet and spicy vinaigrette. The recalled products are made by Ghiringhelli Specialty Foods based in Vallejo, California. The listeria is believed to be present in the sunflower seeds that are in the salads.

Ghiringhelli alerted Trader Joe’s after being called by the seeds’ supplier this week. The products have use-by dates between May 2 and May 7. CRF expanded a voluntary recall of frozen fruits and vegetables after eight people were hospitalized with listeriosis. These recalls come at a time when corporations such as Chipotle are still recovering from an E. coli outbreak last year. These recalls have also left grocers grappling with a tough problem.

The Danger Posed by Listeria

Each year, 48 million Americans are affected by food poisoning. Some of the most common pathogens that cause these outbreaks are listeria, salmonella, E. coli and norovirus. A study last year estimated that the annual cost of medical treatment, lost productivity and mortality caused by food-borne illnesses is about $55.5 billion. Some of the symptoms of listeria include headache, fever, nausea, vomiting and intense stomach cramping. In young children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems, listeria can prove fatal. It could also cause miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women.

If You Have Been Affected

If you have been sickened by these or other products, there are a number of steps you can take to protect your rights:

• Get medical attention and treatment right away.
• Don’t throw away the left over suspect food. Instead, get it tested at an independent laboratory to help determine the presence of pathogens.
•  Report your illness to the local healthcare agency, which tracks these types of outbreaks.

Contact an experienced California food poisoning lawyer who will fight for your rights and hold the at-fault parties accountable for your losses.