Urgent recall of over 400 products due to contamination, here's what you should know

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the country’s official body responsible for protecting public health. One of the vital duties of the FDA, is to ensure the safety of US food supply by issuing recalls, market withdrawals, & safety alerts when necessary.

This week, the FDA has urgently issued a recall for hundreds of food items manufactured by Fresh Ideation Food Group LLC of Baltimore, MD, due to possible contamination.

The recalled products include sandwiches, salads, snacks, yogurt, wraps and related products.

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FDA urgently recalls over 400 products

The government body ordered the food items to be recalled after a laboratory test revealed that the company’s environmental samples contained Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeria is a group of bacteria that can cause potentially fatal infection especially among vulnerable population such as pregnant women, older people and people with weakened immune systems.

As per the press release by FDA,

The recall was initiated after the company’s environmental samples tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The potentially contaminated products have been distributed in Connecticut, District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia.

The recalled products can be identified with Fresh Creative Cuisine label or name.These products have a fresh through or sell through date ranging from January 31, 2023 through February 6, 2023.

Find a complete list of all the products that have been recalled by the health authorities here on the FDA website.

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The dangers of listeria contamination

According to Medicine Net, Listeria spreads through contaminated food and very often, the food might not look spoiled or inedible at all. High-risk foods for contamination include food from uncooked animal sources as well as raw milk or food made with raw milk.

Symptoms of Listeria infection includes vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness. Laboratory tests are needed to accurately diagnose an infection since its symptoms can mimic other illness.

Sources used:

FDA: ‘Fresh Ideation Food Group LLC Recalls Sandwiches and Other Products Because of Possible Health Risk’

Medicine Net: Medical Definition of Listeria