An E. coli outbreak that has sickened 19 people has triggered a massive recall of products containing Taylor Farms celery. Consumers who have purchased these products should not eat them as E. coli can cause serious illness and death. At least 19 people in seven states have already been sickened, two of them have hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) a life-threatening complication that causes kidney failure.
The recalled products include vegetable trays sold at Walmart and 7-Eleven; wraps and salads sold at Target; prepared salads sold at Costco; salad sold at King Soopers; salads and wraps sold at Pantry and Savemart; salad kits, veggie trays and salads at Safeway, Vons and Albertons; the Holiday Turkey Sandwich sold at Starbucks; and salad kits at Tony’s.
A celery and diced onion blend produced by Taylor Farms and used to prepare Costco Rotisserie Chicken Salad tested positive for E. coli 0157:H7 in a sample taken by the Montana Department of Health. The salad has been linked to seven-state E. coli outbreak.
E. coli O157:H7 causes illness with symptoms including abdominal cramps and diarrhea that can be bloody. Between 10 to 15 percent of people with an E. coli infection will develop HUS which causes kidney failure, seizure, stroke and coma and death.
Symptoms of HUS usually set in on the eighth day of an E. coli infection. Symptoms include, pale skin, skin that easily bruises, decreased urine output, blood in the urine, vomiting, bleeding from the nose or mouth, swelling of the hands, face or body.
I served some Taylor farms Italian salad kit last night, no sign of sickness but as of yet. I bought this from Raley’s in Gardnerville, Nevada. Please inform me if this is a concern as it refers to a disabled person I my household.
It depends on the details on the salad kit. Please look at the label and compare it to the products, lot codes, use-by dates, and the states where the recalled items were sold at the FDA web site. The use-by dates for many of these products did extend into December, so it’s possible that you did buy one of the products in question. People with health concerns are at higher risk for food poisoning, so monitor that member of your family for symptoms of an E. coli infection, which is mainly diarrhea with severe abdominal cramps. If anyone in your family gets sick, please see your doctor as soon as possible.