Costco, Trader Joe's pull some products with cheese in expanded recall for listeria risk
The recall of more than four dozen dairy products for possible listeria contamination has been expanded to include enchiladas, bean dip, dressings and sauces sold at stores including Costco and Trader Joe's and with an Amazon Kitchen label.
Rizo-López Foods of Modesto, California, recalled dozens of dairy products earlier this week, including Queso Fresco and Cotija Cheese, because of the risk of contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled products – including cheese, crema, yogurt, and sour cream – were distributed nationwide and sold under brand names such as 365 Whole Foods Market, Don Francisco and Tio Francisco, the company said in a press release. Stores carrying products affected included Harris Teeter and Whole Foods.
An expansion of the recall on Thursday, according to U.S. Food and Drug Administration, increases the products recalled to more than five dozen, including black bean dip and other products sold at Costco, and Trader Joe's brand enchiladas, salad dressing and salads, the FDA said.
Brands and the products they have recalled in the past week include:
SaveMart: Chicken Street Taco Kit
The Perfect Bite Co: Mexican Style Street Corn Bites
Stater Bros: Chicken Street Taco Kit
Fresh Express: Fresh Express Salsa! Ensalada Kit, Marketside Southwest Chopped Salad Kit
Albertsons, Safeway, Eagle, Carrs-Safeway, Pavilions, Vons, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Shaw's, Star Market, Lucky: Chicken Taco Kits and Meals
Dole, Marketside, President's Choice: Salad kits
Fresh and Ready, Sprig and Sprout, Jack and Olive: Torta sandwiches
Marketside: Bacon Ranch Crunch Salad Kit
Marketside: Bacon Ranch Crunch Chopped Salad Kit
Bright Farms: Bright Farms Southwest Chipotle Crunch Kit salad kit
Trader Joe's: Chicken Enchiladas Verde, Cilantro Salad Dressing, Elote Chopped Salad Kit, Southwest Salad
Marketside, Ready Pac Bistro: Southwest Chopped Salad Kit, Bacon Ranch Crunch Kit, Fresh Mex Chopped Kit, Queso Crunch Salad Kit
Rojo's: Black Bean 6 Layer Dip
Don Pancho, HEB, Trader Joe's: Cilantro Lime Crema, Everything Sauce Fiesta, Cilantro Cotija dressing, Poblano Caesar dressing, Cilantro Dressing, Street Taco Express Meal Kit
The FDA has complete product descriptions and UPCs (universal product codes) on its website.
What to do if you bought cheese products recalled for listeria risk?
Check your refrigerator and freezers for any recalled products and throw them away. Do not eat them. If you froze a product without the original packaging and can’t tell if it is part of the recall, throw it away. You can get a refund from the store where you bought the products.
Clean and sanitize any surfaces the recalled products may have touched, as listeria can survive in refrigerators and spread to other foods and surfaces. Follow the FDA's safe handling and cleaning advice to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.
What is listeria infection?
You can get a serious infection by eating food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria. Most people who get listeriosis do not become seriously ill, but a serious infection can develop in those most susceptible including pregnant women and their newborns, adults ages 65 or older, and people with weakened immune systems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Infection.
Each year, about 1,600 people get sick and 260 die from listeriosis, the CDC says.
Symptoms may start the same day you eat contaminated food, but more typically begin within two weeks after consumption and may start as late as 10 weeks later, the FDA says.
Symptoms may include fever, muscle aches, nausea, fatigue, vomiting and diarrhea for those with a mild illness. Those who develop more serious cases may have headaches, a stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions. If you develop symptoms, contact your healthcare provider.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Cheese recall: Costco and Trader Joe's pull products for listeria risk
