A voluntary recall of 5,379 cases of bagged salad products has been announced by both Ready Pac Foods Inc. and the US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) – the recall refers specifically to products that contain Romaine lettuce with a November 18th, 2011 use-by-date. The company says these products could be tainted with E. coli O157:H7, a bacterium that can cause diarrhea and bloody stools.

Most healthy adults infected with E. coli make a full recovery within about seven days. However, some individuals can develop HUS (Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome), a type of kidney failure which can be fatal. Young children and elderly individuals are more susceptible to E. coli complications.

The following states are included in this recall: Wyoming, Washington, Texas, South Dakota, Oregon, N Mexico, Nevada, Nebraska, Montana, Idaho, Hawaii, Colorado, California, Arizona and Alaska.

The company emphasizes that only the products listed below form part of the recall, all other Ready Pac Foods are fine.

The recall includes the following products

  • 10oz. Ready Pac Caesar Romaine, UPC 0-77745-00202-6, best-use-by-date NOV 18
  • 9.25oz Ready Pac Santa Fe Caesar Complete Salad, UPC 0-77745-21404-7, best-use-by-date NOV 18
  • 10oz. Ready Pac Classic Caesar Complete Salad, UPC 0-77745-20566-3, best-use-by-date NOV 18
  • 10oz. Ready Pac Bella Romaine, UPC 0-77745-21407-8, best-use-by-date NOV 18
  • 10oz. Dining In Classic Caesar Salad Kit, UPC 0-11225-02530-3, best-use-by-date NOV 18
  • 10oz. Raley’s Caesar Romaine, UPC 0-46567-71642-8, best-use-by-date NOV 18
  • 10oz. Trader Joe’s Romaine Salad, UPC 0013-2145, best-use-by-date NOV 18
  • 16oz. Trader Joe’s Very American Salad, UPC 0020-7225, best-use-by-date NOV 18
  • 10oz. Safeway Farms Caesar Romaine, UPC 0-21130-98350-6, best-use-by-date NOV 18
  • 9oz. Safeway Farms Hearts of Romaine, UPC 0-21130-98358-2, best-use-by-date NOV 18
  • 10oz. Safeway Farms Complete Caesar Supreme, UPC 0-21130-33677-7, best-use-by-date NOV 18
  • 10.25oz Safeway Farms Complete Southwestern Ranch, UPC 0-21130-33679-1, best-use-by-date NOV 18

packed salad recall
Photo: FDA

The FDA informs that it has received no reports of illnesses.

The company says a random sample test came back positive for E. coli O157:H7. The FDA says Ready Pac is liaising closely with the Agency on this recall.

As the products could still be on retail outlet shelves, the FDA says the recall extends to shops as well as consumers.

Shoppers are asked to check in their refrigerators to determine whether they have the above-mentioned bagged salad product with a November 18, 2011 use-by-date. The use-by-date as well as UPC number can be seen at the back of the bag.

If you have one or some bags of the recalled product, you should write down the use-by-date and UPC number(s), get rid of the product immediately and contact Ready Pac Consumer Affairs at Tel: (800) 800-7822 (toll free), Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm (Pacific Time). On doing so, you will get a full refund.

Written by Christian Nordqvist