Listeria Recall Expands Again

The recall of frozen vegetables and other products due to potentially deadly contamination from Listeria monocytogenes continues to expand, according to federal officials.

Trader Joe's confirmed that the national recall list now includes all lot/date codes of Trader Joe’s Vegetable Fried Rice (SKU/Barcode 00521482) and Trader Joe’s Chicken Fried Rice (SKU/Barcode 00332514).

All Vegetable Fried Rice (SKU/Barcode 00521482) and Chicken Fried Rice (SKU/Barcode 00332514) products have been removed from store shelves and destroyed, according to a release from the company.

"If you purchased these products, please do not eat them. We urge you to discard the product or return it to any Trader Joe's for a full refund," according to the company.

Another Trader Joe's Recall: Kale, Edamame Salads Pulled for Salmonella Concerns

Meanwhile, Illinois plays host this week to the national Food Safety Summit at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont. The meeting of food-industry leaders, food-safety experts and government regulators runs through Thursday.

This meeting takes place as the U.S. Justice Department investigates Dole for possible criminal conduct in its handling of a production facility in Ohio that washed and bagged lettuce. Thirty-three people in the United States and Canada were sickened by a Listeria outbreak and hospitalized traced to Dole's lettuce. Four of them died. FDA files show Dole executives knew of the contamination but allowed production to continue.

Attendance at this week's summit is expected to be the highest ever in its 18 years with much of the focus on new rules required by the Food Safety Modernization Act, reports Food Safety News. Today, representatives of McDonald’s, Kraft, Wegmans and Resers Fine Foods will join two FDA leaders, Glenda Lewis, FDA director for retail food protection, and Kathy Gombas, FDA senior adviser for food safety, to discuss "The New Food Safety Environment."

An educational session on listeria is among the seminars on the agenda, as well as one titled "Recent Outbreaks That Cause Alarm."

Listeriosis, an infection caused by Listeria, can pose major risks for certain populations, especially pregnant women, older adults, and individuals with weakened immune systems. Healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.

Nationwide Listeria Recall, May 2016: Full List of Frozen Fruit and Vegetable Products

Several listeria-motivated recalls have been issued in recent weeks:

• ConAgra Foods said Friday it's voluntarily recalling Watts Brothers Farms Organic Mixed Vegetables, Organic Super Sweet Corn (Yellow/Gold) and Organic Peas, and Trader Joe’s Organic Super Sweet Corn because of the potential for these products to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

• CRF Frozen Foods of Pasco, Washington recalled 15 frozen vegetable items that have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Listeria monocytogenes was found to be present in one lot of Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) organic petite green peas and one lot of IQF organic white sweet cut corn. State health officials in Ohio discovered the listeria through routine testing.

Frozen Vegetable Recall in Illinois for Risk of Deadly Contamination

• Later in the week, CRF expanded its recall of 15 frozen vegetable items to include all “frozen organic and traditional fruits and vegetables” labeled under 42 different brand names, including Walmart's Great Value brand.

Frozen Fruit and Vegetable Listeria Recall Expands to Walmart, Many Other Brands

• The USDA announced a recall of Broccoli Slaw & Kale Salad with White Chicken Meat that was sold at Trader Joe’s locations in four states because the product might have been contaminated with Listeria.