Fresh Express brand Hearts of Romaine bagged salad is now being recalled in both the U.S. and Canada for possible Salmonella contamination. No illnesses have yet been associated with the bagged salads.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) was first to warn consumers not to eat the bagged salad as Fresh Express then issued recalls in both counties. In the U.S., Fresh Express recalled its Hearts of Romaine Salad with a Use-by Date of October 11 and Product Code of S270A24 over the Salmonella risk. A sample yielded a positive result for Salmonella as part of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) random sample testing program. The recalled salads were distributed primarily in the West-Northwest and Midwest regions of the U.S. In Canada, the recalled product, Fresh Express brand Hearts of Romaine salad, Product of U.S.A., is sold in 510 g (18 oz.) packages, bearing UPC 0 71279 26201 7, production code S270A24, and Best Before Date OCT 11. The bagged salads were distributed in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario. However, the product may have reached other provinces and territories. Food contaminated with Salmonella may not look or smell spoiled. Consumption of food contaminated with these bacteria may cause salmonellosis, a foodborne illness. In young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems, salmonellosis may cause serious and sometimes deadly infections. In otherwise healthy people, salmonellosis may cause short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Long-term complications may include severe arthritis. Both FDA and CFIA are doing recall effectiveness checks.
