Missa Bay, LLC has recalled over 75 thousand pounds of salad products across 22 states as the lettuce ingredient may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service or FSIS said. The recall was initiated following an E. coli outbreak, possibly after consuming packaged salad kit Ready Pac Foods Bistro Chicken Caesar Salad.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC earlier announced that 17 people in eight states have been infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7. Seven people were hospitalized, but there were no fatalities.
The Maryland Department of Health, after ill people in the state reported eating the affected salad, collected an unopened package of Ready Pac Bistro Chicken Caesar Salad from a sick person's home in Maryland. The individual ingredients in the salad were collected and tested, and the romaine lettuce tested positive for E. coli O157:H7.
CDC noted that state and local public health officials are interviewing ill people to determine what they ate and other exposures in the week before their illness started. Meanwhile, in initial interviews, ill people in other states have not reported eating this particular salad.
CDC's investigation is ongoing to determine the source of contamination and if additional products are linked to illness.
Missa Bay's recall involves around 75,233 pounds of salad products that contain meat or poultry, and lettuce from the lettuce lot that was used to make the contaminated salads found in Maryland. These were produced from October 14, 2019 through October 16, 2019, and bear establishment number "EST. 18502B" inside the USDA mark of inspection.
The Swedesboro, New Jersey-based company said the affected products were shipped to various distribution locations. These include Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia and Wisconsin.
The recalled salad products were reportedly sold at Sam's Club, Target and Aldi.
E. coli O157:H7 is a Shiga toxin-producing bacterium, which is deadly and can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea, and abdominal cramps after exposure to the organism. Some illnesses last longer and can be more severe. The usual treatment is vigorous rehydration and other supportive care.
Recently, Pride of Florida recalled roughly 64,797 pounds of raw beef products and foods company General Mills recalled five-pound bags of its Gold Medal Unbleached All Purpose Flour, due to possible E.coli O157:H7 contamination.
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