If you have a bag of this popular salad mix in your fridge, health experts said you need to throw it out. The allegedly healthy greens are linked to an outbreak of Cyclospora infections in several states.
Here’s what you need to know to stay safe:
The Product
- Salad mix with iceberg lettuce, red cabbage or carrots
- Product Code Z178, or a lower number
Best by dates run through July 14, 2020. The product code is located in the upper-right corner of the package front.
Brands include:
- Fresh Express
- Aldi
- Walmart Marketside
- Little Salad Bar
- Giant Eagle
- Hy-Vee
- Jewel-Osco Signature Farms
- ShopRite
- Wholesome Pantry
- Walmart Marketside
Over 90 different salad products were affected. The product is available in Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia. The bagged salad was also sold in:
Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.
Both wholesalers and retailers carried the products.
The Sickness
The bagged salad mix is linked to an outbreak of Cyclospora infections. Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by a parasite.
Symptoms include:
- Watery diarrhea (most common)
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Cramping
- Bloating
- Increased gas
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Vomiting
The intestinal symptoms can last for a month if not treated. Fatigue and other symptoms may continue even longer.
The Source Of The Problem
CDC and FDA officials said the likely source of the problem is the Fresh Express facility in Streamwood, Illinois.
FDA inspectors said they are in the process of investigating the facility. They said a traceback investigation to find the source of the outbreak is underway.
The Recall
Fresh Express issued a voluntary recall and notified retailers to remove the products from their shelves. In a statement, the company said, “Fresh Express customers have been notified of the recall and instructed to immediately remove recalled products from all store shelves, distribution, and other inventories to ensure they are no longer available for sale or consumption.”
If you have questions or would like a refund, call the Fresh Express Consumer Response Center toll-free at (800) 242-5472 on Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern time and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern time.