Listeria-contaminated salad from Dole Food kills one: CDC

A listeria outbreak has been linked to packaged salads made by Dole at a processing facility in OH, health officials announced on Friday. In Michigan and in NY, four people were reportedly hospitalized in connectionwhile Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Indiana and New Jersey each saw one case of hospitalization due to listeria.

The CDC said laboratory and epidemiologic evidence indicated that packaged salads produced at Dole’s processing facility in Springfield, Ohio, were likely the source of the outbreak.

“These packaged salads were sold under various brand names, including Dole, Fresh Selections, Simple Truth, Marketside, The Little Salad Bar and President’s Choice”.

Products subject to the voluntary withdrawal are identified with a product code beginning with the letter “A” in the upper right-hand corner of the package. The tested packaged salad was produced at the Springfield, Ohio Dole processing facility, the ODA said. These packaged salads were sold under various brand names.

Symptoms include fever and muscle aches, sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms.

This advice is particularly important for consumers at higher risk for listeriosis, including pregnant women, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems.

Throw the packaged salad away in a closed plastic bag placed in a sealed trash can.

The agency said packaged leafy greens, salad blends and salad kits were being investigated as a possible source of the outbreak. People can get listeriosis by eating meat, fish, dairy products, plants or vegetables contaminated with Listeria.

Even though the outbreak occurred last summer, consumers shouldn’t eat salads produced by Dole in Ohio. Symptoms can develop up to two months after consuming contaminated foods, but often start within several days.