Dole recalls iceberg lettuce salad mixes for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. There is a deadly multistate Listeria monocytogenes outbreak that is potentially linked to some Dole packaged salads, but no illnesses are linked to these specific products to date.
The salads were produced at the company’s Springfield, Ohio and Soledad, California production facilities. All Dole-branded and private label packaged salads described in the list at the FDA web site are included in this recall. Equipment used to harvest the iceberg lettuce used in those products tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes.
The products from the Springfield, Ohio facility have a product lot code beginning with the letter “W” and a “Best if Used By” date that is between December 22, 2021 and January 9, 2022. Recalled products from the Soledad, California facility have a product code that starts with the letter “B” and a “Best if Used By” date between December 23, 2021 and January 8, 2022. The product lot codes are on the upper with hand corner of the package.
Recalled salad items from the Springfield facility were distributed in the states of Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin. These salads were also distributed in these Canadian provinces: New Brunswick, Ontario, and Quebec.
Recalled salads from the Soledad facility were distributed in the states of Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Maryland, North Dakota, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. And these salads were also sold in the following Canadian provinces: Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan.
You can see the long list of those recalled iceberg lettuce salad mixes at the FDA web site along with the UPC number. The brands are Dole, HEB, Marketside, President’s Choice, Kroger, and Little Salad Bar. Some of the salads include Greener Selection, Southwest Kit, Garden Salad, Italian Salad, Very Veggie, Cafe Chef Salad Bowl, Crisp Greens, and American Salad, among others.
Please look at the list carefully to see if you purchased any of those products. If you did, and still have them in your fridge, throw them away. Clean your fridge with a mild bleach solution, then wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
If you have experienced the symptoms of listeriosis after eating any of those Dole iceberg lettuce salad mixes, see your doctor. Listeriosis symptoms include a high fever, severe headache, stiff neck, and muscle aches, often preceded by nausea and diarrhea. Pregnant women are at particular risk for serious complications with this illness, including miscarriage and stillbirth, even though they do not feel very ill.
