More Vegetable Recalls, More Food Wasted

By Kay Whatley, Editor

As we head out this Saturday morning to our local farmers market, yet another vegetable recall for Listeria has popped up. This is about the fourth recall this summer, with each of the recalls (all for Listeria) affecting thousands and thousands of pounds of fresh or frozen vegetables.

So much waste, due to contamination in processing or handling! All going into the trash, instead of the dinner table. If you have any of the below product, follow instructions below.

Local farmers markets often have vegetables straight from the field. For a list of local (Eastern NC) farmers markets where you might find fresh produce, see our “Things To Do” section’s Saturday farmers market list.

If you’re out of this area, check with your local Extension Service for help finding a farmers market near you. It helps the farmers.  It can help your family eat healthy produce, and avoid potentially recalled, contaminated super market foods.

Country Fresh Recalls Product Because Of Possible Health Risk

On August 26, 2016.  Country Fresh, LLC. of Conroe, Texas, issued a recall for 30,000 cases of various fresh-cut vegetable products (product descriptions attached), because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.  Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

The product in question was shipped to retailers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia under the Country Fresh and store brand labels described in the product listing.

The product bears “BEST IF USED BY” dates between August 7, 2016 (8/7/16) through August 19, 2016 (8/19/16).  The product is in either a clear plastic container as labeled below or in Styrofoam trays overwrapped with clear plastic film as labeled below.  No products except those on this list are subject to this recall.

To date, no illnesses have been confirmed by public health authorities.

“We are treating this incident very seriously because we want to ensure that our customers are provided with only the safest, most wholesome, and high-quality products available,” said Max Payen, Country Fresh’s Director of Food Safety.  The potential for contamination was uncovered as the result of a single routine sample taken at a retail store by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, which revealed the finished product tested positive for the bacteria.  The company has ceased distribution of the affected product as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Country Fresh continue their investigation as to what caused the problem.  This recall is being undertaken with the knowledge of the FDA.

Consumers who have purchased any of these products are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 281-453-3305, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. CDT.

The list of products subject to this recall follows: