The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting that a listeria outbreak across 13 states that has left two dead and 17 sick is linked to Dole Salads.
Dole recalled the salads with “Best if used by” dates between Nov. 30, and Jan. 9 back in December.
Products involved in the recall include mixed greens, garden salads, Caesar kits, and many other types of salads in bags or clamshells. Dole Salads are sold under multiple brands including Ahold, Dole, HEB, Kroger, Lidl, Little Salad Bar, Marketside, Naturally Better, Nature’s Promise, President’s Choice, and Simply Nature.
An alert from the CDC warned people not to eat the salads and provided a link to five steps to clean your refrigerator, items, and surfaces that may have touched the recalled products.
The CDC urged people to seek medical attention if they experience headaches, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, in addition to fever and muscle aches after eating one of the salads.
“Symptoms of severe illness usually start 1 to 4 weeks after eating contaminated food. However, symptoms can start as late as 10 weeks after,” the CDC said.
People who are pregnant “usually experience only fever, fatigue, and muscle aches. However, Listeria can cause pregnancy loss or premature birth. It can also cause serious illness or death in newborns,” the alert explained.
Adults 65 years and older and people with weakened immune systems are also at higher risk for severe illness.
Out of the 17 people who became ill, 13 of them required hospitalization.
“The CDC says it is also investigating a second listeria outbreak linked to Fresh Express packaged salads. This outbreak was identified in December 2021 and has led to one death and 10 hospitalizations. The recall includes use-by dates that carry product codes Z324 through Z350, according to the CDC. The affected brands include Fresh Express, Bowl & Basket, Giant Eagle, Little Salad Bar, Marketside, O Organics, Signature Farms, Simply Nature, Weis Fresh from the Field and Wellsley Farms Organic,” NPR reports.
Listeria can also cause common food poisoning symptoms, like diarrhea and fever. People who experience these symptoms usually recover without treatment, per the CDC.
