The Chautauqua County Health Department advises residents of a Fresh Express fresh salad recall due to potential Listeria contamination. These products are sold in Chautauqua County stores and residents are urged to check for and dispose of recalled products in their refrigerators.
Per the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Fresh Express is recalling certain varieties of its branded and private label salad products produced at the company’s Streamwood, Illinois facility, because the product has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. This organism can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women. Consumers who have eaten potentially tainted products and experience these symptoms should consult their health care provider.
The recall includes all Use-By Dates of fresh salad items with product codes Z324 through Z350. Product codes are located on the front of the packages below the Use-By Date. A full list of recalled products is found on the FDA webpage of the Company Announcement, linked here: https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/fresh-express-announces-recall-fresh-salad-products-due-potential-health-risk?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
The recall was necessitated when the Michigan Department of Agriculture received a positive result for Listeria monocytogenes in a random sample test of a single package of Fresh Express 9 oz. Sweet Hearts salad mix with Use-By Date of December 8, 2021, manufactured at the Fresh Express Streamwood facility. Fresh Express immediately halted all production at the Streamwood facility and initiated a complete sanitation review.
In the event consumers have the recalled products in their refrigerators, they should be discarded and not consumed. To obtain a refund or for more information, call Fresh Express Consumer Response Center at 1-800-242-5472 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. Refunds are also available where purchased.