Ruth’s Salads of Charlotte, North Carolina is expanding the recall of Ruth’s Salads Pimento Cheese Spreads for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. No illnesses have been reported in connection with this issue, but listeriosis, which is caused by this bacteria, can take up to 70 days to appear after infection.
The recalled products are 7 ounce containers of Ruth’s Original Pimento Spread with UPC number 74952-00005, in 12 ounce packages with UPC number 74952-12023, and in 24 ounce packages with UPC number 74952-24023. Also recalled is Ruth’s Old Fashion Pimento Spread in 16 ounce containers with UPC number 74952-15005, Ruth’s Jalapeño Pimento Spread in 12 ounce containers with UPC number 74952-12014, Ruth’s Lite Pimento Spread in 12 ounce containers with UPC number 74952-12000, and Ruth’s Cream Cheese w/Pineapple-Pecans in 12 ounce containers with UPC number 74952-12008.
All lot numbers are included in the recall. The products are packaged in plastic containers and labeled as “Packed by B&H Foods, Inc., Chester, SC.” They were sold in grocery stores in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, and parts of Virginia and Tennessee.
If you purchase these products, do not eat them. Throw them away in a sealed container or take them back to the store where you bought them for a refund. Then clean out your pantry or refrigerator or wherever you stored them with a mild bleach solution to kill any bacteria. Listeria monocytogenes bacteria can grow at refrigerator temperatures and freezing doesn’t kill it.
If you ate any of these products, watch yourself for the symptoms of Listeria monocytogenes food poisoning for the next 70 days. They include high fever, stiff neck, severe headache, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Pregnant women may only have mild flu-like symptoms, but listeriosis can cause stillbirth and miscarriage. If you do feel sick, see your doctor.
