Companies Recall Vegetable Products Due to Possible Listeria Contamination

A grocery store in Columbia, Md., on June 8, 2024. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

Vegetable products are being recalled across the United States due to concerns about bacterial contamination, with Supreme Service Solutions the latest to join the bandwagon.

The company is voluntarily recalling vegetable products like cilantro, onions, peppers, salsa, and jalapenos that were distributed via Kroger retail stores in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, and Ohio, according to a July 26 recall notice from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The items were sold under the brand name Kroger Supreme Produce.

The products could be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes, “an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems,” the notice said.

“Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.”

The CDC advises that “symptoms of severe illness usually start 1 to 4 weeks after eating contaminated food with Listeria but may start as early as the same day or as late as 70 days after.”

The products were sold in grab-n-go containers of various sizes. A full list of items, including their product names, barcodes, and “best by” dates have been published on the FDA website.

The risk of listeria contamination was identified by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) when doing routine sampling. No illnesses or relevant consumer complaints have been reported so far.

Since the products are past their shelf life, they should be out of distribution. However, people who have already bought any of these items should not consume the food and must discard them, the FDA advised. Customers can contact the Kroger customer support line at 1-800-576-4377.

Supreme Service Solutions is the latest in a series of companies that have initiated recalls of vegetable products in recent days.

On July 25, the FDA recalled a variety of vegetable and pepper mixes with the brand name Snowfruit due to listeria fears. The items were sold via Kroger retail stores in Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia as well as Jay C Food retail stores in Indiana.

On July 26, another recall triggered by listeria contamination was issued for jalapeños, green peppers, and green beans sold under the brand name Freshire Farms. The items were distributed through certain ALDI stores in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

US Listeria Infections

The recall of Supreme Service Solutions products comes as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investigating a multistate outbreak of listeria infections involving meats sliced at delis.

“Thirty-four people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes have been reported from 13 states. Thirty-three people have been hospitalized and two deaths have been reported, one from Illinois and one from New Jersey,” the agency said in a July 29 update.

“In interviews with sick people, 23 of 24 (89 percent) reported eating meats sliced at deli counters. Thirteen people reported eating deli sliced liverwurst, with seven of those reporting Boar’s Head brand.”

Authorities have confirmed that an unopened Boar’s Head liverwurst product came out positive when it was tested for listeria. They are determining whether the listeria in this product is the same as the outbreak. Officials are also probing if other deli meat offerings have been affected.

On July 25, 2024, Boar’s Head “initiated an immediate and voluntary recall of our Strassburger Brand Liverwurst because it may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes.”

The CDC advised businesses that receive the recalled products to take “extra caution” when dealing with the items.

An earlier listeria outbreak this year involved queso fresco and cotija cheese manufactured by Rizo-Lopez Foods. The incident resulted in 26 illnesses, hospitalizing 23 people and two deaths.

People should be aware of fresh, soft cheeses, the CDC said.  “Although pasteurization of milk kills Listeria, soft cheeses made from pasteurized milk can still get contaminated during cheese-making,” the agency stated.

The outbreak involved 11 states. The investigation has now been closed.

The FDA advises people to thoroughly wash anything at home that may have come into contact with listeria-infected food products. This includes cutting boards, utensils, and inside walls and shelves of refrigerators.

“Sanitize them with a solution of one tablespoon of chlorine bleach to one gallon of hot water; dry with a clean cloth or paper towel that has not been previously used,” it said.