Broccoli salad kits with dressing recalled for possible listeria contamination

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Just four days after recalling approximately 5,084 pounds of their Broccoli Salad Kits, Taylor Farms issued another recall on October 29, 2013 recalling an additional 22,849 pounds of the same product.

Taylor Farms, a Jessup, MD establishment, initiated the recall due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination, alerting the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) that their salad kits contained a dressing that was subject to an FDA recall.

The kits are typically removed by retailers from the larger boxes they are shipped in, and then used by delis and restaurants to make salads for the general public. Therefore, the codes on the affected cases are not typically seen by customers. The affected shipments were sent to distributors and delis in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia and involve the following:

Oct. 25, 2013 initial recall:

>>> 6.06-lb. boxes labeled “TAYLOR FARMS BROCCOLI CRUNCH WITH BACON AND DRESSING” with the case code 310151, produced on Oct. 21 and Oct. 22, 2013.
>>> 12.13-lb. boxes labeled “TAYLOR FARMS BROCCOLI CRUNCH WITH BACON AND DRESSING” with the case code 310153, produced Oct. 21 through Oct. 23, 2013.

Oct. 29, 2013 expanded recall list:

>>> 6.06-lb. boxes labeled “TAYLOR FARMS BROCCOLI CRUNCH WITH BACON AND DRESSING” with the case code 310151, produced on Oct. 14 through Oct. 24, 2013.
>>> 12.13-lb. boxes labeled “TAYLOR FARMS BROCCOLI CRUNCH WITH BACON AND DRESSING” with the case code 310153, produced Oct. 14 through Oct. 24, 2013.
>>> 6.33-lb boxes labeled “Kit, Broc PPC” with case code 5900067, produced Oct. 15 through Oct. 20, 2013.

About Listeria monocytogenes

Listeriosis, considered a large health problem in the United States, is an infection typically caused from consuming foods with the harmful bacterium Listeria monocytogenes.

Those more susceptible to Listeria monocytogenes are pregnant women, newborns, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that about 1,600 illnesses and 260 deaths occur annually in the United States due to listeriosis. While symptoms vary based on the groups outlined above, they typically include fevers, aches (headaches, stiff neck), infections, loss of balance and convulsions. Infections while pregnant can lead to miscarriages and other complications. No illnesses have been reported related to these particular salad kit recalls.

To ensure your safety, the best option when it comes to eating salads is to avoid pre-made selections. Instead, add ingredients and dressings individually to avoid possible contamination and have better control over your own healthy decisions.

For more information on this and other food recalls, review this video:

… and visit http://www.foodsafety.gov/recalls/recent/index.html. If you think you may be affected or have questions, you can contact Taylor Farms Customer Service at 866-508-7048 (9:00 am – 5:00 pm Pacific time).

Sources for this article include:

Expansion release: www.fsis.usda.gov

Initial release: www.fsis.usda.gov

www.cdc.gov (definition)
www.cdc.gov (statistics)
www.youtube.com

Antonia
A science enthusiast with a keen interest in health nutrition, Antonia has been intensely researching various dieting routines for several years now, weighing their highs and their lows, to bring readers the most interesting info and news in the field. While she is very excited about a high raw diet, she likes to keep a fair and balanced approach towards non-raw methods of food preparation as well. (http://www.rawfoodhealthwatch.com/)