Listeria Risk Prompts Recall of Salad Kits and RTE Poultry Products

Several salad kits have been voluntarily recalled by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) due to potential Listeria contamination. The recall was initiated after Rizo-López Foods, Inc. identified concerns over certain cheese products possibly being contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Ready Pac Foods, after being notified of the recall on February 7, conducted an investigation and the FDA subsequently identified four of its products at risk. The affected products include "Marketside Southwest Chopped Kit" sold at Walmart, "Ready Pac Bistro Fresh Mex Chopped Kits" available at Winco, and the 24 oz "ReadyPac Queso Crunch Salad Kit" distributed by Costco. The recall is limited to these specific products and no other items in Ready Pac's product range are currently implicated.

In addition to the salad kits, Rizo López Foods, Inc. has recalled all of its dairy products, which includes a range of cheese, yogurt, and sour cream sold under various brand names. These brands are Tio Francisco, Don Francisco, Rizo Bros, Rio Grande, Food City, El Huache, La Ordena, San Carlos, Campesino, Santa Maria, Dos Ranchitos, Casa Cardenas, and 365 Whole Foods Market. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), since June 15, 2014, there have been 26 reported cases of illness, resulting in 23 hospitalizations and two deaths associated with the outbreak as of December 10, 2023. The geographical scope of the outbreak may extend beyond the states where illnesses have been reported.