Lettuce and Salad Recalls Issued Due to Listeria and Salmonella

Nearly 2,500 cartons of True Leaf Farms romaine lettuce have been recalled due to a possible risk of listeria food poisoning and nearly 60 pounds of Thorton’s Garden Salad and Chef Salad have been recalled over salmonella food poisoning fears. 

The True Leaf Farms romaine lettuce recall (pdf) was announced by the FDA and Church Brothers, LLC. on September 29. The initial recall was for only 90 cartons, but that was quickly increased to 2,498.

The romaine lettuce was pulled from the market after an FDA random sampling detected Listeria monocytogenes organisms in one bag. However, there have been no illnesses reported in connection to the recalled romaine lettuce.

All 2-pound bags of True Leaf Farms chopped romaine with a bag and box code of B256-46438-8 are affected by the recall. The bags have a “use by date” of 9/29/11 and were packed in True Leaf Farms cardboard boxes and shipped by Church Brothers, LLC between September 12 and 13, 2011.

According to a Church Brothers press release, the bags were shipped to distributors in Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont and Washington.

Church Brothers has recommended that any consumers who possess lettuce affected by the recall should not consume it, but should destroy it or call Church Brothers, LLC for product pickup. Consumers with questions can contact Church Brothers, LLC at (800)799-9475 or visit www.churchbrothers.com.

A separate Thorton’s salad recall was announced by the FDA, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and Greencore USA, Inc. on October 1, after salmonella was detected in the grape tomatoes used in the products. There have also been no illnesses reported in connection with the Thornton’s salad recall.

That recall affects 57 pounds of Thorton’s 6 oz Garden Salads and 5.6 oz Chef Salads sold in black bowls with clear lids. The salads have expiration dates of 9/30/2011, 10/2/2011 and 10/3/2011 on the label on the front of the package. The salads were sold in Chicago, Illinois, Cincinnati, Ohio, Columbus, Ohio, Indianapolis, Indiana, Evansville, Indiana, Lexington, Kentucky and Nashville, Tennessee.

Consumers who purchased salad bowls affected by the recall can return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions can call (866)473-0017.