Posted on Aug-01-18 at 04:23 PM (Eastern) by 50.5.126.99 Coral Beach, Food Saftey News – Federal officials issued a public health alert Monday night warning people to watch for signs of parasitic infections if they have eaten any of more than two dozen varieties of wraps and salads sold nationwide by retailers including Kroger and Trader Joe’s.
The distributor of the ready-to-eat products said lettuce supplied by Fresh Express is responsible for the health alert. Indianapolis-based distributor Caito Foods LLC reported that officials with Fresh Express had issued a recall notice for chopped romaine that was used in the wraps and salads. The products are packaged under a variety of brand names.
It was unclear Monday night whether the Fresh Express recall is only for business-to-business romaine sales — such as those to other food producers, restaurants and facilities such as hospitals and schools — or if it includes products sold directly to consumers.Passed in a bowel movement …”
Also, it was not known Monday night if the Fresh Express romaine is linked to an outbreak of Cyclospora parasite infections associated with salads from McDonald’s.
“As of July 26, a total of 286 laboratory-confirmed cases of Cyclospora infection were reported in people who consumed salads from McDonald’s restaurants; the cases were reported by 15 states,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. The CDC said in that outbreak update that a single ingredient had not yet been determined as the source of the parasites.
Fresh Express, based in Salinas, CA, has a statement on its website explaining that none of its romaine was involved in a deadly E. coli outbreak earlier this year, but the company did not appear to have any information about the Cyclospora parasite situation as of Monday night.
All of the 25 varieties of implicated beef, pork and chicken salads and wraps produced and distributed by Caito Foods have been out of date since at least July 23, according to the public health alert posted Monday night (July 30) by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
“The problem was discovered when Caito Foods LLC received notification from their lettuce supplier, Fresh Express, that the chopped romaine that is used to manufacture some of their salads and wraps was being recalled,” according to the health alert from FSIS.
“FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators and that consumers may be at risk due to the length of the Cyclospora incubation period. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.”
People who ate the implicated salads or wraps could be infected but not yet showing symptoms of cyclosporiasis. It usually takes from two days to two weeks after ingesting the parasite before a person becomes ill.
