More Products Recalled As Listeria Outbreak Continues

ACROSS AMERICA — Three taco kits, a sandwich and a corn bite product sold at Costco, Sprouts, Lucky and other retailers in several states have been recalled as part of a nationwide, multi-year listeria outbreak that has sickened 26 people and left two dead.

MG Foods recalled a Ham & Cotija Torta Sandwich on Telera Roll, which was sold in Florida, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday. The sandwich could contain cotija cheese that was previously recalled due to possible listeria contamination.

MG Foods used the recalled cheese to make the product, which was distributed between Feb. 2 and Feb. 9, and sold in vending machines and grab-and-go retail markets in Florida.

• S&S Ham & Cotija Torta Sandwich on Telera Roll (8.3 ounces)
  • UPC No.: 100001002017
  • Container: Plastic
  • Use by dates: Feb. 9- Feb. 16
  • Where use by date can be found: Left side of front label above net weight

Tuesday's notice came after the FDA on Monday said Rizo-López Foods and Fresh Creations Foods recalled all Chicken Street Taco Meal Kits that could be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Those meals included a crema cup that contained recalled cheese.

The street taco kits were sold in Sprouts stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

The affected product lot includes:

• Sprouts
  • Chicken Street Taco Meal Kit
  • Best by dates: Nov. 29-March 4
  • UPC: 205916414990
  • Sold in: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee

Monday's notice came two days after the FDA said similar products were recalled from Stater Bros., SaveMart stores in California, as well as The Perfect Bite Co. stores in California and Hawaii.

• Stater Bros. Markets
  • Chicken Street Tacos (20 ounces)
  • Sell thru dates: all sell-thru dates up to and including Feb. 10
  • UPC: 010286434301399
    
  • Sold at: all Stater Bros. Markets in California
• SaveMart, Lucky, Lucky California
  • Chicken Street Taco Kits (17 ounces)
  • Product label: includes UPC beginning with "278230" followed by other digits
  • Sold at: Save Mart, Lucky, and Lucky California stores in California and Nevada
• The Perfect Bite Co. (Costco)
  • Mexican Style Street Corn Bites
  • Best by dates: Feb. 21
  • Lot No.: 223231

See also:

• Products Sold At Walmart, Costco Recalled Amid Listeria Outbreak
• Listeria Outbreak Expands As Several Trader Joe's Products Recalled

Customers who bought the products are urged to throw them out or return them to the place of purchase for a refund.

No illnesses have been reported to date for any of the above products.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious — and sometimes deadly — infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

Healthy people often suffer short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, though a Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

Recall Continues Expanding

As Patch previously reported, the outbreak has sickened 26 people across 11 states, mostly in the West and Southeast.

As of Tuesday, eight people were reported sick in California, four each in Colorado and Arizona, two each in Texas and Tennessee, and one each in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One death was reported in California and another in Texas.

The latest recall comes after health officials warned Trader Joe's products could also contain contaminated cheese.

The FDA said Trader Joe's recalled certain products containing cotija cheese. The cotija cheese used to produce the products was manufactured by Rizo-López Foods on Feb. 5.

Last week, four salad products sold at Walmart, Costco and Winco across the country were recalled in the outbreak.