General Mills is recalling 60,000 more bags of its Cascadian Farms frozen green beans after one package tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. This is the second recall for this product for this reason this year. No illnesses have been reported to date, but listeriosis, the illness caused by this bacteria, can take up to 70 days to appear.
The new recall is for 16 ounce bags of Cascadian Farm green beans with a “Better If Used By” date of 29JUN2017. The older recall, issued in August 2015, was for Cascadian Farm green beans in 10-ounce packages, with “Better If Used By” dates of 10APR2016 and 11APR2016.
If you have these products, do not use them even if you plan on cooking them. If these beans are cooked in the microwave oven, there’s always a possibility of cold spots, and any bacteria, if present, may not be destroyed. Throw the product away in a double bagged or sealed container, or return to the place of purchase for a refund. Then clean out your freezer with a mild bleach solution to kill any remaining bacteria.
If you ate any of these beans, watch yourself for the symptoms of Listeria monocytogenes food poisoning for the next 70 days. Those symptoms include fever, muscle aches, upset stomach, diarrhea, stiff neck, headache, loss of balance, and confusion. Pregnant women can suffer a miscarriage or stillbirth if they contract this infection, even though their illness may be very mild. If you do develop these symptoms, see your doctor as soon as possible.
