Fresh Express Salad products - recalled due to possible Cyclospora Contamination

United States

Company name: Fresh Express
Brand name: Fresh Express, Giant Eagle and more
Product recalled: Old fashioned coleslaw, 3 color deli coleslaw and more
Reason of the recall: Possible Cyclospora Contamination
FDA Recall date: June 29, 2020
Recall details: Fresh Express, out of an abundance of caution, has issued a voluntary recall of branded and private label salad products produced at its Streamwood, IL facility that contain iceberg lettuce, red cabbage and/or carrot ingredients due to possible health risk from Cyclospora. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 200 illnesses have been reported in connection with a current outbreak of Cyclospora occurring in primarily Midwest states.

Recalled product details
Fresh Express Precautionary Recall 06/27/2020
Streamwood IL Facility-Produced Salads Containing Iceberg Lettuce, Red Cabbage or Carrots AND Product Code of Z178 or a Lower Number
(No other Fresh Express salads are included in this recall)

The Fresh Express recall includes only those salads that are clearly marked with the letter Z at the beginning of the Product Code, which is located in the upper right-hand corner of the front of the package. Products containing the ingredients iceberg lettuce, red cabbage and/or carrots AND displaying the Product Code Z178, or a lower number, are recalled. Recalled products were distributed to select retail stores between June 6 and June 26 in various states including, for example, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. No other Fresh Express products are subject to recall.

Fresh Express customers have been notified of the recall and instructed to immediately remove recalled products from all store shelves, distribution, and other inventories to ensure they are no longer available for sale or consumption. Consumers who may have a recalled salad should discard it immediately and not eat it. Consumers with questions, or to obtain refunds, may contact the Fresh Express Consumer Response Center toll-free at (800) 242-5472 on Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern time and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern time. Fresh Express is working in close coordination with FDA in its continuing investigation to identify a definitive source of the current Cyclospora outbreak.

Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal infection caused by the Cyclospora parasite. A person may become infected after ingesting contaminated food or water. Common symptoms include severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, body aches and fatigue. The infection is treated with antibiotics and most people respond quickly to treatment.

Check the full recalled products list on the FDA website www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/fresh-express-issues-precautionary-recall-products-containing-iceberg-red-cabbage-and-carrots

Source: FDA