Chicken Caesar Salad Kit Recalled Due to Listeria

APPA Fine Foods, a Corona, Calif. establishment, is recalling approximately 92,657 pounds of fully cooked chicken Caesar salad kit products due to concerns about possible Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) contamination, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The salad kits were shipped nationwide to one bulk warehouse chain for retail sale in its in-store cafés. [APPA Fine Foods produced the kits used by the bulk warehouse chain.] The following products are subject to recall:

• 11oz. clear plastic containers and 6.5-lb. boxes labeled, “APPA Fine Foods/Sam’s Club Daily Chef CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD KIT” with case codes 141851, 141922, 141951, 141991, 142021, 142201 or 142131 with use by dates of 8/14/14, 8/21/14, 8/27/14, 9/1/14, 9/3/14 or 9/17/14. The kits were produced on July 4, July 11, July 14, July 18, July 21, July 25, Aug. 1 and Aug. 8, 2014.

Box labels bear the establishment number “P-21030” inside the USDA mark of inspection.

Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development personnel informed FSIS they received two confirmed positive Lm results from retail product purchased at one of the bulk warehouse chain locations. The bulk warehouse chain then sampled intact components of the salad kits. Only the chicken came up positive with Lm.

Consumption of food contaminated with Lm can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns. Less commonly, persons outside these risk groups are affected.

Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract. In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn. In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics. Persons in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell the health care provider about eating the contaminated food.

Consumers and media with questions regarding the recall can contact Thom Rindt, of APPA Fine Foods, at 951-547-8111.

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