Recall of Veggies on Fear of Listeria Contamination
Growers Express Farms and Trader Joes is recalling many different varieties of fresh vegetable products for possible listeria contamination.
Butternut squash, cauliflower, zucchini and select veggie bowls are included in the voluntary recall and were sold under the Green Giant Fresh, Trader Joe's and the Signature Farms brands, according to a recall notice posted on the Food and Drug Administration website Monday.
The products came from a Growers Express production facility in Biddeford, Maine.
According to the notice, one sample tested positive for Listeria by the Massachusetts Department of Health and there have been no reported illnesses.
Most of the products are labeled with a “Best if Used By” date for June 26 through June 29, the notice said. No Green Giant canned or frozen vegetables are affected.
“The safety of our consumers is our first priority,” Tom Byrne, president of Growers Express, said in a company statement. “We are deep sanitizing the entire facility and our line equipment, as well as conducting continued testing on top of our usual battery of sanitation and quality and safety tests before resuming production.”
Listeriosis is a serious infection caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms can include fever, diarrhea, stiff neck, confusion and muscle aches. People usually report symptoms one to four weeks after infection.
Listeria can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.
Recalled products
Trader Joe’s sold the affected products in stores in 29 states and Washington D.C. The other recalled items were sold in select stores in grocers including Food Lion, Stop & Shop, Shaws and smaller chains. The FDA has a full list of all recalled items.
Customers who purchased any of the products listed below are encouraged to throw the products away or can return for a refund.
The recalled products include:
- Green Giant Fresh Cauliflower Sweet Potato Crumbles, UPC 605806000515, Best By 6/28/2019
- Green Giant Fresh Cauliflower “Fried Rice” Blend, UPC 605806000744, Best By 6/28/2019
- Green Giant Fresh Butternut Diced, UPC 605806138010, Best By 6/26/2019
- Green Giant Fresh Butternut Cubed, UPC 605806138218, Best By 6/26/2019
- Green Giant Fresh Ramen Bowl, UPC 605806027864, Best By 6/28/2019
- Signature Farms Cauliflower Crumbles, UPC 2113098438, Best By 6/28/2019
- Green Giant Fresh Zucchini Noodles, UPC 605806000881, Best By 6/26/2019, 6/29/2019
- Trader Joe’s Butternut Squash Spirals, UPC 623391, Best By 6/28/2019
- Trader Joe’s Zucchini Spirals, UPC 634908, Best By 6/27/2019
Learn more about the recall and find a full list of products and stores where the vegetables were sold here.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Green Giant, Trader Joe's and Signature Farms veggies recalled for potential Listeria risk