Ready Pac Bagged Salad Recall: E. coli Food Poisoning

About 5,379 cases of Ready Pac bagged salads using Romaine lettuce have been recalled due to the risk that they may be contaminated with E. coli. The affected salads were also sold under the Trader Joe and Safeway labels. 

The Ready Pac salad recall was announced by the FDA on November 16, after E. coli O157:H7 was detected in the Romaine lettuce during a random sample test by the manufacturer, Ready Pac Foods, Inc., of Irwindale, California. There have been no E. coli food poisoning reports connected to the potentially contaminated salads.

The recall affects the following products:

• 10 oz. Ready Pac Caesar Romaine, UPC: 0-77745-00202-6
• 9.25oz Ready Pac Santa Fe Caesar Complete Salad, UPC: 0-77745-21404-7
• 10oz. Ready Pac Classic Caesar Complete Salad, UPC: 0-77745-20566-3
• 10oz. Ready Pac Bella Romaine, UPC: 0-77745-21407-8
• 10oz. Dining In Classic Caesar Salad Kit, UPC: 0-11225-02530-3
• 10oz. Raley’s Caesar Romaine, UPC: 0-46567-71642-8
• 10oz. Trader Joe’s Romaine Salad, UPC: 0013-2145
• 16oz. Trader Joe’s Very American Salad, UPC: 0020-7225
• 10oz. Safeway Farms Caesar Romaine, UPC: 0-21130-98350-6
• 9oz. Safeway Farms Hearts of Romaine, UPC: 0-21130-98358-2
• 10oz. Safeway Farms Complete Caesar Supreme, UPC: 0-21130-33677-7
• 10.25oz Safeway Farms Complete Southwestern Ranch, UPC: 0-21130-33679-1

All of the affected bagged salads have a Best If Used By date of NOV 18. They were sold in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming.

The company warns retailers to check their inventory because there could still be affected bagged salads on store shelves.

Consumers who have purchased the affected bagged salads should record the Use-by Date and UPC number, discard the salad and can receive a full refund by calling a Ready Pac Consumer Affairs representative at (800) 800-7822.

E. coli O157:H7 is one of the more common causes of food poisoning in the United States. When left untreated, it can lead to dehydration and potentially life-threatening illness. While most healthy adults recover from food poisoning caused by E. coli within a few weeks, young children and the elderly could be at risk for more severe illness. If the toxin enters the blood stream, E. coli could also lead to kidney failure known as Hemolytic-Urenia Syndrome (HUS).