Wrap, Salad Meat Products Recalled Over Possible Salmonella, Listeria Contamination

This is a representational image of a corn. Photo: Getty Images/Dan Kitwood By Suman Varandani , International Business Times Mary’s Har...

This is a representational image of a corn. Photo: Getty Images/Dan Kitwood

By Suman Varandani, International Business Times

Mary’s Harvest Fresh Foods, Inc., of Portland, Oregon is recalling approximately 916 pounds of ready-to-eat wrap and salad products that contain a corn ingredient believed to be contaminated with salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes, the Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Wednesday.

The ready-to-eat salad and wrap products were produced from Oct. 5 through Oct. 13 and shipped to Oregon and Washington stores.

Mary’s Harvest Fresh Foods is recalling the following products:

• 7-oz. clear plastic wrapped packages containing “MARY’S HARVEST Southwest Chicken Wrap w/ Rib Meat” and use-by dates from 10/15/18 through 10/23/18.
• 11-oz. clear plastic clamshell packages containing “TRADER JOSE’S MEXICALI INSPIRED SALAD WITH CHILI SEASONED CHICKEN” and best-by dates from 10/15/18 through 10/19/18.

The products have the numbers “P-39928” or “40310-M” inside the USDA mark of inspection, according to the Department of Agriculture. The problem was first found on Oct. 15 when Mary’s Harvest Fresh Foods Inc. received notification that the corn used in the production of their ready-to-eat wrap and salad products was being recalled by their corn supplier due to Listeria monocytogenes and salmonella concerns.

So far, there have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products.

Consumption of food contaminated with salmonella can cause salmonellosis, one of the most common bacterial foodborne illnesses. It is caused by the Salmonella enterica bacterium. The microorganism causes serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, sick or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Symptoms of salmonella can begin 12 to 72 hours after a person is infected. Most of the symptoms of a salmonella infection are stomach-related, including cramps in stomach, bloody stools, diarrhea, cold and chills, fever, headache, vomiting and nausea.

Consumption of food contaminated with L. monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns. Its symptoms include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms.

High-risk groups can develop infections in the bloodstream or brain, as well as infections in bones and joints or other parts of the body, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  One in five people with invasive listeriosis died from the disease, which can also cause miscarriage, stillbirth or newborn death.

"FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase" the USDA said in a statement.