Reser’s Fine Foods Inc. is recalling 19 refrigerated salads from the marketplace because of possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Listeria may be present in one lot of onions used during the manufacturing process.
The products Reser’s Fine Foods that are being recalled were sent to retailers and distribution centers in Alabama, Tennessee and other locations. So far, non illnesses have been reported,
Some of the affected refrigerated products are Reser’s Deviled Egg Potato Salad, Reser’s Potato Salad, Reser’s Macaroni Salad, Stonemill Kitchens Classic Potato Salad, Safeway Deviled Egg Potato Salad, Safeway Classic Potato Salad, Safeway Tuna Salad and Walmart Red Skin Potato Salad.
The risks of ingesting contaminated food with listeria
The Oregon company, through a statement, is urging consumers not to ingest this products.
“Consumers who purchased these products may take them back to the store for a refund or discard them,” said Reser’s.
Listeria shouldn’t be taken lightly: it can cause fatal serious infections in children, frail, elderly people or people with weak immune systems. Pregnant women are in risk too because Listeria can lead to miscarriage, infection in the newborn or even stillbirth. In the worst scenario, people may die due this illness.
Symptoms include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache and neck stiffness. Pregnant women could experience only mild flu-like symptoms.
The Oregon company suggest people to check if there’s recalled products at their hotels, restaurants or institutions. Even when contaminated food may not seem or smell spoiled, they still can be harmful, so those products should be thrown out or returned to the supplier.
Background and preventive measures
The recall alert was initiated in another country. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is running a food safety research that could lead to the recall of other products. In case of the recalling of high-risk products, the CFIA will update a Food Recall Warnings to notify the consumers. They are also making sure that the industry is effectively removing recalled products from the marketplace.
Source: FDA