If You Bought This at Kroger or Walmart, Throw It Away Now, FDA Says
The popular products could pose a major health and safety risk, experts warn.
If you live in the U.S., chances are you're no more than a stone's throw from either a Walmart or Kroger—or, in many cases, both. Walmart and Kroger operate 5,339 and nearly 2,800 stores in the U.S., respectively, and given the stores' popularity, those numbers are poised to grow.
However, if you bought your groceries from either retailer recently, you may want to double-check that they're safe to eat before digging in. Read on to find out which popular foods have been pulled from the two stores and what you should do if you have them at home.
RELATED: If You Bought This at Walmart, Get Rid of It and Disinfect Your House, CDC Says.
Salads sold at Walmart and Kroger are being recalled.
On Oct. 29, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced that 24 oz Marketside™ Classic Salad sold exclusively at Walmart was being recalled.
The affected salads are printed with lot codes N28205A and N28205B, UPC 6-81131-32895-1, and Best If Used By date of 10-25-21.
On the same day, it was announced that 12 oz Kroger™ Brand Garden Salad was being pulled from stores, as well. The affected salads are printed with lot codes N28211A and N28211B, UPC 0-11110-91036-3, and Best If Used By Date of 10-25-21.
These products are part of a larger voluntary recall by manufacturer Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc.
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Two additional salads are included in the recall.
As part of the same recall, Dole announced that 24 oz Dole™ Garden Salad with lot codes N28205A and N28205B, UPC 0-71430-01136-2, and Best If Used By Date 10-25-21 was being pulled from stores. Additionally, 12 oz Salad Classics™ Garden Salad with lot codes N28211A and N28211B, UPC 6-88267-18443-7, and Best If Used By Date 10-25-21 is being recalled.
The two salads, in addition to the ones sold at Walmart and Kroger, were distributed to stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia. No additional Dole products are being recalled at this time.
The products are being recalled due to potential Listeria contamination.
The recalled salads are being pulled from the market due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.
"This precautionary Recall notification is being issued due to a single sample of garden salad which yielded a positive result for Listeria monocytogenes in a random sample test conducted by the Department of Agriculture in Georgia," the recall notice states.
Listeria can cause serious health issues.
Individuals who consume food tainted with Listeria may develop symptoms similar to typical cases of food poisoning, including diarrhea and fever, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
However, among some individuals, Listeria may also cause confusion, convulsions, fever, headaches, loss of balance, muscle aches, and a stiff neck. In pregnant people, the condition may lead to miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth, or potentially fatal infections in newborns. In rare cases, Listeria infection can be fatal. Immunocompromised individuals, older adults, and pregnant people are more likely to develop severe symptoms or die from exposure to Listeria.
If you have the affected salads at home, throw them away.
If you purchased any of the recalled salads, don't eat them. Instead, throw them away.
If you have questions related to the recall, contact the Dole Consumer Center 24 hours a day at 800-356-3111. If you've eaten the recalled salads and believe you're experiencing symptoms related to their consumption, contact a healthcare provider immediately.
RELATED: If You Bought This Food at Costco, Throw It Away Now, FDA Says.
