Publix store brand, Fresh Express among packaged salads recalled after listeria is found

David J. Neal
·3 min read
3

A wide variety of packaged salads triggered recalls and a public health alert after two state agencies found listeria in testing of finished salad kits.

Listeria kills about 260 of the 1,600 Americans infected each year, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. Senior citizens, pregnant women and children under 5 are the most vulnerable to listeria’s worse effects. Listeria can cause stillbirths and miscarriage. Listeria symptoms include nausea, diarrhea, high fever, severe headaches, stomachaches, stiffness, confusion and poor balance.

The largest of the recalls involved all date codes of 14 Revolution Farms salads sold in retail stores and 10 Revolution Farms salads sold to food service outlets. Two varieties of Fresh Express bagged salads and one kind of Publix bagged salad got yanked. The USDA issued a public health alert about Bell’s Bistro and Fruit Ridge Farms salads that used lettuce from Revolution Farms.

Here’s the breakdown of what’s been recalled.

Fresh Express and Publix

Fresh Express Inc. recalled three salads Friday already past their use-by dates after the Georgia Department of Agriculture found listeria in a salad with a March 31 use-by date. All have product code G075.

▪ Fresh Express Caesar Chopped Salad Kit, 9.4-ounce package, use by 4/2/2023, sent to Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Fresh Express Caesar Chopped Salad Kit
Fresh Express Caesar Chopped Salad Kit

▪ Fresh Express Chopped Salad Kit Chipotle Cheddar, 11.3-ounce package, use by 4/2/2023, sent to Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

▪ Publix Makoto Honey Ginger Salad Kit, 8.75-ounce package, use by 3/31/2023, sent to Florida, North Carolina and Georgia.

Publix Makoto Honey Ginger Salad Kit
Publix Makoto Honey Ginger Salad Kit

Return the salads to the store for a refund or call Fresh Express at 800-242-5472, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Eastern time.

READ MORE: Listeria recall of salmon sold in Publix stores

Bell’s Ridge and Fruit Ridge Farms

A public health alert by the USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service says the salads below, distributed out of Michigan to Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin, used recalled lettuce from Revolution Farms. The salads went to retail stores in Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

▪ Fruit Ridge Farms White Chicken Caesar Salad and Bell’s Bistro White Chicken Caesar Salad, 5.5-ounce packages with sell by dates 03/10/23 through 04/14/23.

The label for Bell’s Bistro White Chicken Salad
The label for Bell’s Bistro White Chicken Salad

▪ Fruit Ridge Farms Chef Salad with Ham and Bell’s Bistro Chef Salad with Ham, 4.6-ounce packages with sell by dates 03/10/23 through 04/14/23.

The label for Fruit Ridge Farms Chef Salad with Ham and Ranch Dressing
The label for Fruit Ridge Farms Chef Salad with Ham and Ranch Dressing

If you have any questions about this recall, call or email Alicia Richards at 616-399-7084, ext. 416, or arichards@russrestaurants.com.

Revolution Farms

After the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development found listeria in a package of Revolution Farms Green Sweet Crisp with a best by date of April 2, Revolution initiated a recall then expanded it on Thursday. They went to stores and distributors in Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin, such as Meijer; Fresh Thyme Market; Horrocks Market; Kingma’s Market; Doorganics; Cherry Capital Foods; Sysco; Gordon Food Service; Van Eerden Foodservice; Vine Line Produce; Pearson Foods; and, as mentioned above, Russ Restaurants Commissary.

In the Whole Head Clamshell: Buttery Bibb, Mini Romaine, Green Sweet Crisp and Grower’s Choice.

Revolution Farms Green Sweet Crisp salad in a Whole Head Clamshell
Revolution Farms Green Sweet Crisp salad in a Whole Head Clamshell

▪ In the 5-ounce retail plastic trays: Michigan Spring Mix, Great Lakes Gourmet, Robust Romaine, Romaine Lettuce Boats, Sweet Crisp Deli Leaf and Whole Leaf Romaine.

▪ In the 6-ounce salad kits: Traverse City Cherry, Zesty Southwest, Sesame Ginger Crunch and Crisp Kale Caesar.

Revolution Farms Zesty Southwest salad kit
Revolution Farms Zesty Southwest salad kit

▪ In 3-pound bulk bags for food service: Farmer’s Mix, Great Lakes Gourmet, Green Sweet Crisp, Michigan Spring Mix, Robust Romaine and Red/Green Romaine.

▪ In 14-whole head cardboard boxes: Green Forest Romaine, Green Sweet Crisp and Mini Romaine.

▪ In 36-whole head cardboard boxes: Buttery Bibb.

If you have any of these, return them to the seller for a full refund. If you have questions, contact Revolution at 616-965-6802 or info@revolutionfarms.com (put “recall” in the subject line), Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Eastern time.