WASHINGTON — Certain salad kits and packages of spinach sold in seven U.S. states have been recalled after their manufacturer discovered the possibility of cross-contamination with listeria-tainted products at the farm where the vegetables were grown.
BrightFarms issued the voluntary recall on Jan. 17 for a number of food packages produced at a facility in Pennsylvania.
The recalled products were distributed to retailers in seven states including Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.
The recall includes:
3.5 oz bags of BrightFarms Baby Spinach with the facility code PEN8
6.5 oz bags of BrightFarms Mediterranean Crunch Kit with the facility code PEN4
6.5 oz bags of BrightFarms Chickpea Caesar Crunch Kit with the facility code PEN4
6.5 oz bags of BrightFarms Bacon Ranch Crunch Kit with the facility code PEN4
6.5 oz bags of BrightFarms Southwest chipotle with the facility code PEN4
All of the affected products have best-by dates between Jan. 11 and Jan. 20. Information about the “best by” date and facility code can be found at the bottom of the package.
BrightFarms said the recall was issued because of possible contamination fears over spinach grown by its supplier, Element Farms, in New Jersey. Routine sampling at the farm found a positive result for Listeria monocytogenes, the bacteria that causes listeria.
Because of the potential for cross contamination between the spinach already sent to BrightFarm and other vegetables used to make salad kits at their Pennsylvania facility, the company made the decision to issue a recall for products produced during the time period the potentially contaminated spinach was being used.
No illnesses have been reported in relation to the recall, according to the FDA, and further testing hasn't revealed any listeria contamination in any of the salad kits reviewed.
While most of the affected products have expiration dates that have already passed, officials urged consumers to avoid consuming them and to instead throw them out or return them to the store for a full refund.
BrightFarms has temporarily suspended distribution of spinach grown at Element Farms, and retailers have been instructed to remove all recalled products from store shelves.
Anybody with questions can contact BrightFarms by phone at 1-866-857-8745 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Eastern, or email info@brightfarms.com with the subject line: Recall.