The Recall Desk
Agency classClass IOur severity:CriticalFDA (Food)·F-0339-2014·Announced 2014-01-01

Reser's Cole Slaw Recalled for Potential Listeria Contamination

Reser's Fine Foods is recalling specific lots of Cole Slaw due to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The product was distributed across 41 US states and Canada.

The agency’s classification

FDA (Food): Class I

Class I is a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.

This is the agency’s own classification, taken from its notice. The severity score below is our assessment, not the agency’s. How recall classes work

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 5/5 (Critical).

Highest-severity recall. The hazard can cause serious injury or death. Stop using the product now and follow the agency's instructions.

Our severity reasoning: The source text explicitly identifies the agency classification as Class I, which mandates a severity score of 5 according to the rubric. Additionally, Listeria monocytogenes is a high-risk pathogen associated with serious health consequences.

Plain-English summary

Reser's Fine Foods, Inc. is recalling Cole Slaw, Formula CS.81, due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The product was packaged under two labels: Sysco Classic Cole Shredded Slaw Salad, distributed by Sysco Corporation in Houston, TX, and Reser's Shredded Cole Slaw, manufactured by Reser's Fine Foods, Inc. in Beaverton, OR. Both versions were packaged in 2/7-lb carton cases.

The recall covers products with use-by dates ranging from October 8, 2013, to November 25, 2013. Distribution was extensive, reaching 41 US states including Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, New York, and Texas, as well as Canada. The specific states listed are AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MO, MS, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, WI, WV, and WY.

Consumers who have purchased this product should check their use-by dates and discard the product if it falls within the affected range. Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that can cause serious illness, particularly in pregnant women, newborns, the elderly, and individuals with weakened immune systems. The FDA has classified this as a Class I recall, indicating a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, the violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.

The recalled product

Product
Cole Slaw, Formula CS.81, packaged under these labels: -Sysco Classic Cole Shredded Slaw Salad packaged in 2/7-lb carton cases. Distributed by Sysco Corporation, Houston, TX. -Reser's Shredded Cole Slaw packaged in 2/7-lb carton cases. Reser's Fine Foods, Inc., Beaverton…
Manufacturer
Reser's Fine Foods, Inc.
Category
Food — Deli / Ready-to-Eat
Hazard

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Lot numbers (1)

  • Use by dates 10/08/13-11/25/13.

Distribution

Distributed in 41 states:

Part of a larger recall action

This product is one of 213 recalled by Reser's Fine Foods, Inc. under a single FDA (Food) recall action. The agency files each product separately, so the size of the action is not visible from this page alone.

See all 213 products in this recall →

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