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A broccoli, kale and chicken salad sold at Trader Joe's stores in Utah and three other states is being recalled, as the product may be contaminated with a bacteria that causes the infection listeriosis, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Wednesday.
The affected products are in 9.3-ounce clear plastic container packages with the label "Trader Joe's Broccoli Slaw & Kale Salad with White Chicken Meat; Sunflower Seeds, Cranberries and a sweet & Spicy Vinaigrette." The products have a "Use By" date of May 2 through May 7.
The products subject to recall also bear establishment number "P-17156" inside the USDA mark of inspection.
Besides Utah, the possibly contaminated items were shipped to Trader Joe's distributors in Arizona, California and Nevada, the FSIS said in a news release.
Consumers who have purchased these products should throw them away or return them to the place of purchase. They should not be consumed.
The contamination problem was discovered on Tuesday, when the sunflower seed vendor notified Ghiringhelli Specialty Foods, of Vallejo, Calif., that their product might have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products and all affected product has been removed from the market channels, the FSIS reports.
Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns.
It can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. It is treated with antibiotics.
Persons in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell the health care provider about eating the contaminated food.