Agency classClass IOur severity:Critical FDA (Food)·F-2117-2012·Announced 2012-09-12

Trader Joe's Balela salad recalled due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination

Simmering Soups Inc. is recalling Trader Joe's Balela salad because onions in the product were found to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

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 agency classification is FDA Class I, which indicates a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to the violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death. Additionally, the presence of Listeria monocytogenes is a high-risk pathogen.

Plain-English summary

Simmering Soups Inc. is recalling 204 eight-ounce containers of Trader Joe's Balela, a savory Middle Eastern salad containing chickpeas, black beans, and tomatoes. The product is packaged in clear rigid plastic containers with snap-on lids and is identified by SKU #068306 and UPC #00683067.

The recall was initiated because the onions used in the salad were found to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. This is a serious foodborne pathogen that can cause severe illness, particularly in vulnerable populations such as the elderly, pregnant women, and individuals with weakened immune systems.

The affected product was distributed in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Consumers who have this product in their possession should discard it or return it to the store of purchase. No specific lot numbers or expiration dates are provided in the source text, so consumers should check for the specific SKU and UPC numbers listed above to identify the recalled items.

The recalled product

Product: Trader Joe's, Balela (A savory Middle Eastern salad with chickpeas, black beans and tomatoes). 8 ounces (227g). in clear rigid plastic containers with snap on lids.
Manufacturer: Simmering Soups Inc.
Category: Food — Deli / Ready-to-Eat
Hazard: listeria

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 (2)

SKU #068306
UPC #00683067

Distribution

Distributed in 6 states:

Part of a larger recall action

This product is one of 2 recalled by Simmering Soups 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 2 products in this recall →

Same manufacturer · Simmering Soups Inc.

See all →

Critical
Trader Joe's Mild Salsa Recalled Due to Listeria Contamination
FDA (Food) · 2012-09-12

Same hazard · listeria