The Listeria outbreak that was identified by the Ohio Department of Agriculture during product sampling in March has resulted in two recalls. The first recall was issued on April 23 and covered 11 different frozen vegetable products that were produced by CRF Frozen Foods. On May 4, the defective products recall was expanded to include all frozen fruit and vegetable products made since May 1, 2014 at a Washington food processing facility owned by CRF Frozen Foods.
Before Listeria was identified in the frozen foods during product sampling, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had connected eight different reports about Listeria infections. Individuals in Washington, Maryland and California were all affected by Listeria that was linked through laboratory evidence to CRF Frozen Foods frozen vegetable products.
The expanded recall includes 358 products that are sold by 42 different brands. Some of the food brands that have been recalled for Listeria in their frozen products include Starwood, ConAgra Foods, The Kroger Co. and Ajinomoto Windsor Inc. In addition to the frozen foods produced by CRF, there was a recall of onion products produced by the Oregon Potato Company. The FDA found samples at the Oregon Potato Company with material closely related to seven bacterial isolates shared by the people who were sickened by the Listeria outbreak.
A person who became seriously ill after consuming a food product from a grocery store may want to meet with a lawyer to see what recourse is available. If a food product was contaminated by Listeria or other infectious bacteria, consumers who were harmed by the defective product may want to seek financial compensation through the filing of a lawsuit against the manufacturer or distributor.
Source: Food Safety News, “Secondary recalls over those Listeria contaminated veggies are piling up,” Dan Flynn, May 11, 2016