Fresh Express Salads recalled due to Salmonella contamination

Canadian Food Inspection Agency
News Release

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OTTAWA, May 25, 2010 – The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the public not to consume the Fresh Express brand Romaine-based Salads described below because these products may be contaminated with Salmonella.

This CFIA alert has been initiated in response to a recall by the manufacturer, Fresh Express Incorporated, of Salinas, California in the United States.

The following Fresh Express brand Romaine-based Salads which have Use-by Dates of May 13 through May 16 and an “S” in the product code are affected by this alert:

5-Lettuce Mix 170 g 2 71279 25101 1
American 340 g 0 71279 24100 5
Asian Supreme Completes Kit 391 g 0 71279 30201 0
BLT Caesar Completes Kit 298 g 0 71279 30107 5
Caesar Completes Kit 284 g 0 71279 30100 6
Caesar Supreme Completes Kit 305 g 0 71279 30104 4
CaesarLite Completes Kit 284 g 0 71279 30101 3
Salsa!Ensalada Supreme Completes Kit 397 g 0 71279 30601 8
Double Carrots 340 g 0 71279 10802 5
Fancy Greens 198 g 0 71279 23201 0
Green & Crisp 340 g 0 71279 10804 9
Hearts of Romaine 284 g 0 71279 26102 7
Italian 284 g 0 71279 21100 8
Leafy Green Romaine 255 g 0 71279 26112 6
Lettuce Trio 255 g 0 71279 10809 4
Premium Romaine 255 g 0 71279 10808 7
Romaine Chopped 6/2# 908 g (32 oz.) 1 71279 26100 3
Triple Hearts 227 g 0 71279 26111 9
Veggie Lovers 340 g 0 71279 28100 1

The Use-By Date is found in the upper right hand corner of the package with the product code immediately underneath.

These products have been distributed in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec and may have been distributed nationally.

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.

Food contaminated with Salmonella may not look or smell spoiled. Consumption of food contaminated with this bacteria may cause salmonellosis, a foodborne illness. In young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems, salmonellosis may cause serious and sometimes deadly infections. In otherwise healthy people, salmonellosis may cause short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Long-term complications may include severe arthritis.

The CFIA will be working with Canadian importers to remove all of the affected products from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.

For more information consumers and industry can call the CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 / TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday).

For information on Salmonella, visit the Food Facts web page at: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/cause/salmonellae.shtml

For information on all food recalls, visit the CFIA’s Food Recall Report at: http://active.inspection.gc.ca/eng/corp/recarapp_dbe.asp.

To find out more about receiving recalls by e-mail, and other food safety facts, visit: www.foodsafety.gc.ca. Food and consumer product recalls are also available at http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca.

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