Listeria Prompts Salad Mix Recall in Rhode Island

The Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) is advising consumers that a sample of Northeast Spring Mix salad mix sold at McQuade’s Market in Jamestown has tested positive for <"https://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/listeria">Listeria monocytogenes.

The recalled Northeast Spring Mix salad mix is manufactured by Northeast Fresh, which is located in Chelsea, Massachusetts. HEALTH is working to determine if this product was distributed elsewhere in the state.

The product that tested positive for Listeria was sold in seven-ounce bags and has a product code of Jan15/457034.

No Listeria illnesses have been reported in association with this recall, to date; however, it is important to note that foodborne illnesses, such as Listeriosis—the disease caused by infection with the Listeria pathogen, do not always manifest immediately and can take time to reveal symptoms.

HEALTH advises anyone who bought the recalled Northeast Spring Mix salad mix to throw it or return it to the place of purchase for a refund.

Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause Listeriosis, a potentially fatal disease. While healthy people rarely contract Listeriosis, the infection can cause high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.

Listeriosis is known to result in serious, sometimes fatal, infections in those with weakened immune systems, such as infants, the elderly, persons with HIV infection, and those undergoing chemotherapy.

In pregnant women, Listeriosis can result in miscarriage, stillbirth, or birth of a baby suffering from the infection. Pregnant women are about 20 times likelier than others to be infected; Listeriosis can kill fetuses, prompt premature births, and can lead to hearing loss or brain damage in newborns and neurological effects and cardio respiratory failure in adults.

Listeria monocytogenes infects about 2,500 people in the U.S., killing 500.