Ready Pac Foods of Irwindale, CA is recalling 5,379 cases of bagged romaine salad products, including Caesar salad kits, because they may be contaminated with E. coli.

safeway-romaine-350.jpg

The romaine lettuce was packaged under the Ready Pac brand name and also under several chain-store brands, all with a “use-by” date of November 18, 2011, and sold in Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Oregon, Texas and Washington.

The recall was initiated based on a single positive random sample result for E.coli O157:H7 reported to Ready Pac by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In the recall notice, Ready Pac said it is fully cooperating with the FDA on the recall.

readypaccaesar-350.jpg

Because it is possible that bagged romaine packages with a November 18, 2011 expiration date could still be on store shelves, the company said the recall extends to retailers as well as consumers. Anyone who has the potentially affected salad should dispose of it immediately.

The recall extends only to the following products, identified here by size, brand name, UPC number and expiration date sold in the previously listed states. Go here to see all the product photos. The “use-by” date is on the upper left hand corner of each package and the UPC numbers are located on the back side of the bag:

– 10oz. Ready Pac Caesar Romaine 0-77745-00202-6 NOV 18

– 9.25oz Ready Pac Santa Fe Caesar Complete Salad 0-77745-21404-7 NOV 18

– 10oz. Ready Pac Classic Caesar Complete Salad 0-77745-20566-3 NOV 18

– 10oz. Ready Pac Bella Romaine 0-77745-21407-8 NOV 18

– 10oz. Dining In Classic Caesar Salad Kit 0-11225-02530-3 NOV 18

– 10oz. Raley’s Caesar Romaine 0-46567-71642-8 NOV 18

– 10oz. Trader Joe’s Romaine Salad 0013-2145 NOV 18

– 16oz. Trader Joe’s Very American Salad 0020-7225 NOV 18

– 10oz. Safeway Farms Caesar Romaine 0-21130-98350-6 NOV 18

– 9oz. Safeway Farms Hearts of Romaine 0-21130-98358-2 NOV 18

– 10oz. Safeway Farms Complete Caesar Supreme 0-21130-33677-7 NOV 18

– 10.25oz Safeway Farms Complete Southwestern Ranch 0-21130-33679-1 NOV 18

No other Ready Pac Foods, Inc. products are included in the recall.

Consumers who may have purchased the recalled romaine lettuce product are asked to record the use-by date and UPC number, immediately dispose of the lettuce, and contact the Ready Pac Consumer Affairs representative, toll-free at 800-800-7822, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Pacific Time) to obtain a full refund.