- Foods sold under a variety of brand names were just recalled due to the potential for Listeria monocytogenes contamination.
- The food products are just the latest in what seems to be an uptick in the number of recalls related to various strains of Listeria so far this year
- Among the food products in the recall are prepared taco platters, various dips, and wraps with chicken, turkey, bacon, and avocado.
It’s been a very interesting year for food recalls, with the FDA issuing a rather large number over the course of just a few months. One of the biggest trends we’re seeing early in 2021 is small-scale outbreaks of Listeria monocytogenes in various parts of the country. Some of those outbreaks and recalls have been liked to one another and the FDA and USDA are investigating the source to ensure that it doesn’t happen again. Other Listeria-related recalls seem to be totally separate, and there are two new recalls that just popped up.
As the FDA notes in two independent recall bulletins, Listeria bacteria is suspected to have contaminated a variety of food products across several states including Minnesota and Wisconsin. The products were sold at grocery and convenience stores and include prepared dips and ready-to-eat wraps and salads.
According to the recall bulletins, J&J Distributing appears to have a Listeria problem on its hands. In one recall, food products like taco dip, taco trays, and turkey sandwiches are noted as possibly being contaminated with Listeria, while the other bulletin from the same company warns that prepared salads, turkey wraps, chicken wraps, and a few other similar ready-to-eat food products may be contaminated with the same bacteria.
The company sells these foods through a number of stores and the products are sometimes rebranded for the company that ends up selling them. Those brands include Haug, Tastebuds, Caribou, and Kwik Trip. The sell-by dates on the recalled foods range from February 23rd through March 3rd. Many of the products are no longer on store shelves but may still be in homes from consumers that purchased them previously.
The Listeria bacteria causes listeriosis, which is an infection of the bacteria that produce symptoms ranging from general discomfort, fever, headache, and stiffness to more serious reactions like diarrhea, convulsions, and even miscarriages in pregnant women. Elderly individuals and those with compromised immune systems are more likely to experience a severe reaction to the infection, but it’s not exactly a fun time even for healthy individuals.
If you have any of these food items in your home you’re urged to avoid eating them and throw them out or return them to the store where they were purchased. If you return them you can get a refund for the price you paid, but if that’s not a concern for you, you can also just toss them in the garbage.
