Voluntary Recall of Dole Fresh Vegetables Due to Listeria Concern
On December 22, 2021, Dole Fresh Vegetables Inc. announced a voluntary recall on all its Dole-brand and private brand packaged salads processed at either its Bessemer City, NC or Yuma, AZ facilities, due to a concern regarding listeria monocytogenes contamination.
Dole Fresh Vegetables Inc., in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), issued the recall to include all Dole-brand and private brand packaged salads from these facilities. The recalled products may be identified by having a lot code beginning with an “N” or “Y” and a “Best if Used by” date between November 30, 2021 and January 8, 2022. No other Dole products, besides those mentioned, are currently under recall.
The concern of possible widespread listeria contamination in Dole salad products became apparent when health officials from the state of Georgia and Michigan randomly sampled different Dole-brand salad products, such as a single package of shredded iceberg lettuce produced in the Yuma, AZ facility, and a single package of Dole-brand Garden Salad produced in the Bessemer City facility. Furthermore, after analysis of the detected strain of listeria in the Dole-brand salad products was conducted, it was found to be a genetic match to the strain which the FDA and CDC believe is implicated in an ongoing listeria outbreak since 2014, responsible for sixteen illness, twelve hospitalizations, and two deaths.
Listeria monocytogenes are a type of bacteria which can cause a serious infection known as listeriosis, leading to symptoms such as fever and diarrhea. The severity of listeriosis varies between people. It can be particularly dangerous for expectant mothers, newborns, elderly, and anyone with a weakened immune system.
In addition to the recall, the Bessemer and Yuma facilities have suspended operation and are currently undergoing a deep cleaning and sanitization. Consumers are urged to check their freezers to see if they have any of the recalled items and to discard them if so. Any retailers which sell Dole products should check their shelves to ensure they are not selling any of the recalled products at this time.
https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/faq.html
https://lifehacker.com/throw-out-these-listeria-ridden-salads-fda-says-1848280969
https://www.growingproduce.com/vegetables/a-second-listeria-outbreak-links-to-leafy-vegetables/
