Florida,
United States
Fullei Fresh is voluntarily recalling Alfalfa Sprouts due to the detection of Shiga toxin producing E.coli (STEC.) It is a strain of e.coli which is not part of their routine e.coli O157:H7 and salmonella testing which is normally conducted on every lot produced. There have been no known illnesses reported to date in connection with this product. The affected Fullei Fresh brand alfalfa sprout lot number is 336. They were shipped to distributors and retailers in Florida between December 9-23, 2022. No other lots or products are affected.
The lot numbers are printed on the 8 ounce retail packs and on 5 lb. bulk cardboard boxes in the barcode (the last 3 digits being 336.)
Should you be in possession of these products, please discard.
Fullei Fresh has always been at the forefront of food safety, especially knowing the concerns regarding the sprout industry. This month, the FDA conducted an unannounced inspection. 108 listeria swabs were taken and all were negative. They also pulled 34 samples of bean sprouts and 34 samples of alfalfa sprouts. The bean sprouts were all negative. At first the alfalfa were placed on hold as the initial report “could not rule out” a pathogen. Then the firm was told the results were negative and informed customers to resume distribution. Then the FDA issued an apology stating that the results were still pending and again to hold distribution. A few days later, the firm received a report without any explanation or instructions which stated “STEC recovered. No EHEC detected. No Salmonella spp. detected. No listeria spp. detected.” It was discovered in 2 out of 34 samples tested by the FDA. It is very unfortunate that there has been confusion and misunderstanding regarding this specific product and lot. Fullei Fresh is doing their best to remedy the situation and communicate with all parties involved.
This recall is being made with the knowledge of the Food and Drug Administration and the Florida Department of Agriculture.
In case you are experiencing E. coli symptoms such as watery diarrhea (often bloody), vomiting; stomach cramps; and mild fever, it is important to report it. It can help to detect & resolve outbreaks early and prevent others from being harmed, and it enables better surveillance. If symptoms persist, seek medical care.
Company name: Kwokcheng Enterprise, Inc. dba Fullei Fresh
Brand name: Fullei Fresh
Product recalled: Alfalfa Sprouts in 8 oz clamshells
Reason of the recall: Contamination with shiga toxin-producing E. Coli
FDA Recall date: January 09, 2023
Source:
www.fda.gov
