CDC Investigating Two Separate Listeria Outbreaks Linked To Packaged Salads

FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - The CDC said on Thursday that it was investigating reports of listeria infections across eight states linked to packaged salads from two companies.

The CDC has confirmed that one of the states impacted is Texas.

So far, ten people have been hospitalized. One person has died from the outbreak.

One of those facilities is owned by Dole, who has issued a recall for the affected products. You can find a list of those products here.

The contaminated salads all have best-by dates between November 30, 2021, and January 8th, 2022, and product lot codes beginning with "n" or "y."

The other facility is owned by Fresh Express. All packages with product codes Z324 through Z350 are included in the recall, regardless of the best-by date.

Brands affected by this recall include Fresh Express, Bowl & Basket, Giant Eagle, Little Salad Bar, Marketside, O Organics, Signature Farms, Simply Nature, Weis Fresh from the Field, and Wellsley Farms Organic.

The CDC said that any products affected by either recall should not be served, but thrown away. You will also need to clean your refrigerator and any surfaces the food has touched, as listeria can survive and spread to other foods if not treated.

The CDC said following these five steps will help ensure that you get rid of the bacteria for good.

Listeria is a form of bacterial food poisoning that can cause traditional symptoms like vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea.

However, if it spreads beyond the gut, listeria bacteria can cause severe infections with symptoms including headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, convulsions, fever, fatigue, and muscle aches.

It is especially dangerous to people who are pregnant, as a listeria infection can cause serious illness or death in fetuses and newborns.

Symptoms typically begin between one and four weeks, but can start as quickly as the same day or as long as 70 days later.

Anyone experiencing listeria symptoms should immediately call their doctor for advice. The Texas Health Department may also be able to answer questions about cases in the state.