Dole Fresh Vegetables recalls bagged salad over Listeria risk

Dole Fresh Vegetables, a subsidiary of US-based Dole Food, is voluntarily recalling 1,039 cases of bagged salad across eight states in the US as the product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The recalled product is the 10oz Dole Italian Blend salad coded 0049N2202008, with a use-by date of 20 August 2012 and UPC 7143000819.

The salad cases were distributed in Florida, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Mississippi and Virginia.

No illnesses linked to consumption of the product have been reported, and no other Dole Food products are affected by this recall.

The recall was initiated after a sample of Dole Italian Blend tested positive with Listeria monocytogenes following random sampling conducted by North Carolina Department of Agriculture.

Consumers who have purchased the affected product have been urged to discard it.

Dole Food noted that, as the product is past its use-by date, there is a low probability that it is still available at retailers; however, the company has urged stockists to check their inventories and store shelves to ensure that the product is not available for purchase.

Dole Food said that it is coordinating closely with regulatory authorities and its customer service representatives are working with retailers to ensure the batch is not available to consumers.

This is the second major food recall for Dole Food this year; in June, the company recalled 2,598 cases of bagged salad across nine states in the US, also due to contamination from Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that can lead to serious or life-threatening food-borne illness, with symptoms including fever, muscle aches, nausea or diarrhoea.

The bacterium can cause serious effects in pregnant women, newborn babies and those with compromised immune systems.