Recall grows for ready-to-eat items
USDA warns of risk of listeria, salmonella.
Millions of pounds of ready-to-eat salads and premade food items at several big-name retailers such as Harris Teeter, Kroger, Whole Foods, 7-Eleven, Trader Joe’s and Walmart have been recalled due to the potential risk of listeria and salmonella contamination.
The recalls stem from those issued by a dozen food manufacturers including Bakkavor Foods, Envolve Foods and Ruiz Food Products. The food makers notified the U.S. Department of Agriculture about products they shipped that could include ingredients such as corn, diced onions and other vegetables possibly tainted with bacteria – all from McCain Foods, the USDA says.
The latest recalls include 795,261 pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products such as Harris Teeter Deli-Bakery brand bacon, egg and cheese burritos, and chicken sausage, egg white and cheese breakfast burritos. Bakkavor Foods says products recalled could contain an onion ingredient supplied by McCain Foods that may be contaminated with salmonella and listeria monocytogenes.
Distributed nationwide and produced from Sept. 27, 2017, to Oct. 15,
2018, most of Bakkavor’s products for Harris Teeter have use-by dates of Oct. 24 and Oct. 25. A 16-ounce Harris Teeter Deli-Bakery brand BBQ style chicken artisan pizza has use-by dates from Jan. 7, 2019, to April 11, 2019.
Bakkavor also recalled Trader Joe’s carnitas with salsa verde burritos with use-by dates through Oct. 24.
❚ Simple Truth and Cadence Gourmet entrees: Envolve Foods of Corona, California, told the USDA it was recalling about 292,764 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken and beef products including 22-ounce bags of Simple Truth Chicken Bibimbap, Thai Style Green Curry and Chicken Tikka Masala. Some had use-by/sell-by dates through April 12, 2019. Cadence Gourmet-branded Steak Fajitas, Tuscan Tomato Basil Chicken & Sausage and Rustic Toasted Tomato Basil Chicken & Vegetables had expiration dates into 2019.
❚ Go-Go Taquitos: The snacks sold nationwide at 7-Eleven stores were recalled after Ruiz Food Products of Denison, Texas, recalled about 2.5 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry taquitos for possible risk of salmonella and listeria, the USDA says. The recall involved Beef & Taco Cheese Taquitos, Buffalo Style Cooked Glazed Chicken Taquitos and Chipotle Chicken taquitos. All of the products, made between July 1 and Oct. 10, have been taken off the market, Ruiz Food says.
❚ Jenny Craig chicken wraps: SK Food Group recalled about 174,207 pounds of Jenny Craig Chicken Wrap with BBQ Sauce, produced from Oct. 15,
2017, to Oct. 15, 2018, because they contained vegetables that might be contaminated with bacteria.
❚ Fresh Garden salads: Caito Foods of Indianapolis recalled about 1,532 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken salads and food bowls made with corn that could be contaminated. Recalls included 11.5-ounce and 8.75-ounce packages of Fresh Garden Highway Santa Fe Style with Chicken salads with best-if-soldby dates of Oct. 21.
❚ Buddy’s Kitchen products: Buddy’s Kitchen of Burnsville, Minnesota, said it contacted institutions that had been shipped bulk cases of foods such as omelets with potatoes and sausage, produced between Oct. 19, 2017, and Oct. 9, 2018, for possible contamination.