Parkers Farm Recall Expands to Include All Products

A listeria recall for certain spreads, salsas and cheeses by Parkers Farm last week, has now been expanded to include all Parkers Farm products, which are sold under its own label as well as a number of others, such as Kroger, Dutch Farms, and Cobblestone labels.

The Parkers Farm recall expansion was announced on January 15, including every item produced by the company, regardless of date code. The listeria contamination recall effects products on shelves nationwide at Target, Wal-Mart, Whole Foods, Aldi, Sams Club, Costco, Safeway, Kroger, Hy-Vee, Cub, Rainbow, Byerlys, Lunds, Jewel, Dominicks, Marsh, Price Chopper, Shop Rite and Nash Finch.

The original recall was issued after sampling by Wisconsin and Minnesota inspectors discovered the Listeria monocytogenes bacteria in finished Parkers Farm, Inc. products. Although there have been no reported illnesses in connection to the recalled products, exposure to the bacteria could cause mild to severe infection of the gastrointestinal tract, with a risk of death if the infection spreads via the bloodstream to the nervous system.

Listeria infections, also known as listeriosis, pose a particular risk for children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems. For pregnant women, illness from Listeria bacteria can cause miscarriages and still births. The fatality rate associated with listeriosis is about 25%.

Affected products include cream cheese spreads, cold pack cheeses, salsa, pimento spreads, cheese balls and logs, peanut butter, and bagel spreads. Parkers Farm products are sold under a variety of labels, including Kroger, Dutch Farms, Cobblestone, Happy Farms, Parkers, Central Markets, Crystal Farms, Heluva Good, Amish Classic, San Pablo, Century Resources, Block & Barrel, Biery and Dierks Waukesha. An entire list of recalled products is available on the FDA’s Parkers Farm recall notice.

The state of Minnesota, FDA and Parkers Farm are still investigating the cause of the contamination. The FDA recommends that anyone who has purchased these products should return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.