FDA and CDC warning recalled salad brands may contain a parasite

Most of the 206 people who came down with the parasite live in eight midwestern states, according to CNN, The salad mixes – which are produced by a Fresh Express facility in Streamwood, Illinois. – are sold at Walmart, ALDI, HY-Vee, and Jewel-Osco. The salad mixes in question are bagged with store brand names.

“Consumers should not eat and restaurants and retailers should not sell or serve any Fresh Express products currently on the market that were made in the Streamwood, Illinois, production facility and contain either iceberg lettuce, red cabbage or carrots,” the FDA notice said, according to USA Today.

In the FDA notice issued June 26, consumers are cautioned to not eat, and restaurants and retailers should not sell or serve recalled Hy-Vee Brand Garden Salad, recalled Jewel-Osco Signature Farms Brand Garden Salad, recalled Walmart’s Marketside Classic Iceberg Salad, or recalled ALDI Little Salad Bar Brand Garden salad.

The cyclospora parasite is usually linked to the consumption of fresh produce contaminated with feces.

Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Here is a breakdown on the salad brands and where they were sold:
1. Hy-Vee Brand Garden Salads were sold in stores in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
2. Jewel-Osco Signature Farms Brand Garden Salads were sold in Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa.
3. ALDI Little Salad Bar Brand Garden Salads were sold in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
4, The recalled Walmart brand Marketside Classic Iceberg Salads were sold in Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
The CDC advisory, darted June 26, asks consumers to check their refrigerators for any of these recalled salads. Throw any remaining salad away, even if some of it has been eaten and no one has gotten sick.

Epidemiologic and traceback evidence indicates that bagged salad mix containing iceberg lettuce, carrots, and red cabbage produced by Fresh Express is a likely source of this outbreak.

Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis that can cause symptoms including diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach cramps, bloating, increased gas, nausea, and fatigue, the CDC says.

For questions or to obtain refunds, contact Fresh Express Consumer Response Center toll-free at 800-242-5472 weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern time.