The Recall Desk
SevereFDA (Food)·F-0595-2022·Announced 2022-02-02

Fresh Express Shredded Lettuce Recall Due to Listeria Contamination Risk

Fresh Express Inc is recalling shredded lettuce products in multiple package sizes due to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The recall affects approximately 211,228 cases distributed across 20 U.S. states and Canada.

What this means for you

Illness, injury, or structural failure has been reported. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The FDA classified this as a Class I recall. Although no illnesses are reported in the source text, Listeria monocytogenes is a high-risk pathogen capable of causing serious infection and hospitalization, particularly in vulnerable populations. Under the rubric, FDA Class I recalls are never scored below 4 regardless of reported illness status.

Plain-English summary

Fresh Express Inc, a division of Chiquita Brands, is recalling shredded lettuce products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The affected products are packaged in 8-ounce, 14-ounce, 16-ounce, and 5-pound sizes with codes Z324 through Z350.

Approximately 211,228 cases were distributed to 110 domestic distributors across Connecticut, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Wisconsin, as well as 3 foreign distributors in Canada.

Listeria monocytogenes is a serious pathogen that can cause severe illness, particularly in pregnant women, newborns, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals. Consumers should not consume these products and should discard them or return them to the place of purchase. Those who have consumed the recalled lettuce and experience symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, nausea, or diarrhea should seek medical attention and inform their healthcare provider of the exposure.

The recalled product

Product
"Shredded Lettuce" (salad product) packed in 8oz., 14oz., 16oz., and 5lb. packages
Manufacturer
Fresh Express Inc (Div of Chiquita Brands)
Category
Food — Produce / Ready-to-Eat Salad
Hazard
  • listeria
  • pathogenic-contamination

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)

  • Z324-Z350

Distribution

Distributed in 20 states:

  • CT
  • IA
  • IL
  • IN
  • KY
  • MA
  • MD
  • ME
  • MI
  • MN
  • MO
  • ND
  • NH
  • NJ
  • NY
  • OH
  • PA
  • RI
  • VA
  • WI

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