More than 400 products ranging from breakfast sandwiches to lasagna and cut fruit are being recalled over potential listeria contamination.
Fresh Ideation Food Group LLC, of Baltimore, Maryland, is recalling products sold during part of last month because they could potentially be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes. That’s “an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems,” the company said in an announcement last week. However, the bacteria can also affect younger adults and others.
The company said the recall was prompted after some environmental samples tested positive for the bacteria.
As of Friday, no illnesses have been reported, according to the company.
Here’s what you need to know about the recall of hundreds of products along the East Coast.
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What products are being recalled because of listeria concerns?
The products were sold under different brand names, Fresh Ideation Food Group said in its announcement. Those include Bistro to Go, Quick & Fresh, Westin Label, Fresh Creative Cuisine Black Label, InReach and more.
Some of the products include:
- Breakfast muffins, bialys, croissants and ciabatta sandwiches
- Huevos Rancheros
- Butternut squash lasagna
- Fruit plates, cut fruit and vegetables, mixed berries and other produce products
- Crumb cake and lemon loaf
- Various sandwiches, including tuna, chicken salad, ham, roast beef and more
You can find a full list of the brands and products potentially impacted here.
Fresh Ideation Food Group in a statement to USA TODAY said the voluntary recall “was initiated in an abundance of caution and represents the only recall in the company’s history.”
When and where were the products sold?
The products were sold from Jan. 24 through Jan. 30. They have been distributed in:
- Connecticut
- District of Columbia
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- Virginia
Fresh Ideation Food Group warned that the products were sold in retail locations, vending machines and “during travel with transportation providers.”
Some of the recalled products were also sold on Amtrak trains, according tomultiple reports.
What is listeria?
Fresh Ideation Food Group said that their products may be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes. This bacteria can cause fever, diarrhea and symptoms similar to other foodborne germs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
People may also experience more severe invasive listeriosis caused by eating food that’s contaminated with the bacterium, according to the CDC.
Health officials warn that the condition is typically a mild illness for pregnant people, causing fever, fatigue, muscle aches and other flu-like symptoms. However, it can cause “severe disease” for a fetus or newborn baby, and the infection during a pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth and premature delivery.
People who are not pregnant may experience headaches, stiff necks, fever and more. Adults ages 65 years and older or people with weakened immune systems are also vulnerable.
