Costco, Albertsons, Walmart-Sold Salad And Taco Kits Recalled Over Listeria Outbreak

Topline

Salad and taco kits sold in major grocery stores nationwide have been recalled after the FDA found they were linked to an ongoing listeria outbreak, which has caused over 20 hospitalizations and two deaths.

A recalled Dole salad kit linked to listeria outbreak.

Food and Drug Administration

Key Facts

Dole released a joint statement with the Food and Drug Administration announcing a voluntary recall of a “limited number” of eight types of Dole and private-branded salad kits due to possible listeria contamination from the cheese used in them.

The salad kits were sold in major retailers like Walmart and Costco in over 20 states—including California, Florida, Georgia, New York and Washington state—and five Canadian provinces.

Several companies like Sprouts and Bristol farms have recalled taco kits sold in Tom Thumb, Albertsons, Costco and other retailers in over five states due to concerns their crema sauce cups may be contaminated with listeria, according to the FDA.

All brands used dairy products from food supplier Rizo-Lopez Foods, which voluntarily recalled all of its dairy products sold nationwide earlier this month due to a listeria outbreak.

Although no illnesses were linked to any of these taco and salad kits, two deaths, 26 cases and 23 hospitalizations in almost a dozen states are linked to the outbreak, according to the FDA.

Key Background

The ages of those affected in the outbreak range from one to 88, though the median age is 52, and 85% of affected people are Hispanic, according to the CDC. The FDA linked this listeria outbreak to a decade-long outbreak that first began in 2014 because the same strain of listeria (listeria monocytogenes) is involved. Recalled sandwich kits, enchiladas and bean dips are also a part of this outbreak due to containing affected dairy products from Rizo-Lopez Foods. Though the investigation is still ongoing, this is the first time the agency was able to pinpoint a culprit, as two separate investigations done in 2017 and 2021 were unable to identify a brand behind the outbreak. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believes there may be more cases since listeria infection can be treated without medical care.

Tangent

Raw milk, cold-smoked fish, sprouts, soft cheese, melons, meat spreads, and deli meats, cheese and salads are the most at risk for listeria contamination, the CDC reports. There’s a 94% hospitalization rate among listeria cases, and most infections can be treated with antibiotics, according to the FDA. Pregnant people, fetuses, newborns, adults 65 years and older and those with a weakened immune system have the highest risk of developing listeria infection. Listeria infections in pregnant people are typically mild, but they lead to fetal loss in 20% of cases and newborn death in 3% of cases. Symptoms of infection include fever, fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting, muscle ache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and seizures.