Deadly nationwide listeria contamination impacts salad kits sold in Michigan

• The food company Rizo-López Foods, Inc. has issued a recall on several dairy products after Listeria was found in them 
• More than two dozen people have been infected or hospitalized in 11 states. 
• The contaminant can be life-threatening. Common symptoms include fever, headaches, fatigue and muscle aches

A deadly Listeria outbreak has reached nearly a dozen states after several dairy products have been recalled, some in Michigan, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

The disease has infected 26 people in Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina. The outbreak has resulted in 23 hospitalizations and two deaths.

No infections have been reported in Michigan but several salad kits have been recalled because of possible link to Listeria contamination. Half a dozen kits sold by Dole were recalled and one by the brands Marketside and President’s Choice. 

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The Dole kits recalled are the Chopped Kit Avocado Ranch, Chop Kit Avocado Ranch Chop Kit Ranch A L’Avocat, Premium Kit Southwest Salad, Cajun Ranch Chopped Kit, Premium Kit Endless Summer and Supreme Kit Southwest Salad Supreme Kit Salade Du Sud-Ouest. 

Marketside’s Chopped Salad Kit Bacon Ranch Crunch and the Southwest Salad Kit and the Sud-Ouest Kit de Salade by President’s Choice were on the list of recalled kits.

On Feb. 5 Rizo-López Foods, Inc. recalled dairy products including queso fresco, cotija, oaxaca, panela and ricotta cheeses among many others, that were distributed nationwide. Some recalled items were sold at Whole Foods Market. 

Other products included yogurt and sour cream sold under the brand names Tio Francisco, Don Francisco, Rizo Bros, Rio Grande, Food City, El Huache, La Ordena, San Carlos, Campesino, Santa Maria, Dos Ranchitos, Casa Cardenas, and 365 Whole Foods Market, according to the CDC. 

Rizo-LópezFoods, Inc. has only recalled cheese, cream and yogurts but several products like salads/salad kits, tacos/ taco kits, burritos, enchiladas, sandwiches, dressings, sauces and dips may contain the recalled items as well. 

What is listeria? 

Listeria is a life-threatening infection caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes.

The infection is most harmful to pregnant people because it can cause loss of pregnancy, premature birth or infection of a newborn. People 65 years or older or those who have weakened immune systems are also at risk of hospitalization. 

Common symptoms of Listeria 

Symptoms of Listeria include fever, muscle aches, fatigue, headaches, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance or seizures. People who are pregnant may experience fever, muscle aches or fatigue. 

Symptoms typically start within 2 weeks of eating contaminated food but can also occur the same day. In some cases, symptoms may only appear 10 weeks after eating the contaminated food. 

What to do 

Check refrigerators for any recalled products and throw them away or return them to the store. Clean any containers or surfaces that may have come in contact with recalled products because Listeria can survive in the refrigerator and spread to other foods and surfaces. 

Those who experience any symptoms associated with Listeria after eating the recalled dairy products should call a healthcare provider. Additionally, affected customers can contact Rizo-López Foods Inc. at 1-833-296-2233, and report it to the FDA.

To see if an item was recalled, locate the lot codes in the upper-right-hand corner of the package. If the code was included in the recall, it should be discarded immediately. Lot codes can be found on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s website.