CDC probes listeria outbreak from Dole, Fresh Express salads

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday it is currently investigating two separate listeria outbreaks linked to packaged salads produced by Dole PLC and Fresh Express.

The agency's probe along with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) comes after the CDC reported 26 illnesses from the two companies' packaged salads, of which 22 have been hospitalized and three have died.

Earlier this week, the companies had announced a recall of some of their products over possible contamination with the listeria bacteria, which can cause a severe illness known as invasive listeriosis and could lead to death.

Fresh Express's recalled brands include Fresh Express, Bowl & Basket and Giant Eagle, while Dole's brands were the Ahold, Dole, Kroger and Little Salad Bar.



Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/cdc-probes-listeria-outbreak-from-dole-fresh-express-salads/ar-AAS5T7r

[usaf-vet]

1. Get out the ivermectin. If the stores were smart the would put invermectin products next to salads.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

2. The pre-packaged salad things are often contaminated.

It really is vastly cheaper to buy the individual components and make your own salad. Also safer.

[EYESORE 9001]

3. Couldn't agree more

I don’t remember any recalls for intact heads of lettuce.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. Oh there have been - but primarily Romaine for some reason

I don't hear about much for others like iceberg or the buttercrunch, etc.

Here's a good little article on Romaine - https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/horticulture/vegetables-1/documents/understanding-the-romaine-lettuce-recall

I have stopped buying Romaine and try to grow it myself when I can.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

9. Interesting.

Somehow I have managed to remain completely oblivious to recalls of Romaine lettuce.

Honestly, sometimes I need to take a survey of exactly how large the rock is I apparently live under.

[BumRushDaShow]

11. That has been the main lettuce type that has had continual recalls

for E. coli. It's something that is usually associated with contamination from adjacent farms with livestock as soil-borne, and released with irrigation run-off (and/or via manure fertilizer if that is being used - e.g., by "organic" farms).

Some good info on this - https://foodsafetytech.com/column/e-coli-on-the-rise-lettuce-explain/

There has recently been a push to have this type of produce be greenhouse-grown (including vertical gardening within the space to maximize the output).

[BumRushDaShow]

4. I hate to say that this has sadly become a problem

over the past couple decades. Whatever "washing" of the initially-picked produce is done, is often including contaminated water (and even contaminated processing equipment (like conveyors and water sprays) and then it's dried before being packaged.

Alternately some pathogens are actually getting into the product from or through the soil (either as splash-back or through the roots), so it's not always on the surface but absorbed by the plant material itself.

I have stopped buying any pre-packaged salads/greens and just go on and buy the heads or buy it frozen. Over the years there have been too many recalls for listeria, salmonella, and E. coli. I used to love to buy the pre-packaged coleslaw (cabbage) mix but no more. I just go on and buy a small head of cabbage and shred or cut it myself.

[Diamond_Dog]

6. See? You're better off eating cookies. - nt

[SWBTATTReg]

7. This seems to be a never ending problem...how many times in the past have I heard this ...

same complaint about the packaged salad goods? Many times, and thus, confirms why I don't buy these, and haven't for many years, I just can't bring myself to buy them after constantly hearing about outbreaks this, outbreaks that in salad goods. I wonder if it is the nature of being packaged leading to the outbreaks too (we know that soil issues could lead to contamination too)?

And I love spinach (topped w/ a little hot bacon grease, and bacon is the best).

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

10. Yep. Never ending problem.

And exactly how difficult is it to buy different kinds of lettuce and other veggies that go into salad?

I often do exactly that: buy two or three kinds of lettuce, cucumber, radishes, red onions, various bell peppers, zucchini, maybe some other veggies. I assemble them on a large plate, top with croutons, and then take off just one serving for me, which I then drizzle with whatever dressing I'm currently using. The large plate I've described typically gives me four or five salads. So it's quite economical.

[Demsrule86]

8. I buy the Ohio Greens grown here vertically year round very good, and I believe safer.

It is not as cheap as Dole but they have had so many outbreaks of various bacteria.