Frozen vegetables have been recalled once again, this time by National Frozen Foods Corp. The Seattle based company released the voluntary recall on June 17, 2016, after concerns arose that some of their products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled products include frozen green peas and frozen mixed vegetables. Six brands were affected by the recall, including Bountiful Harvest, First Street, Great Value, Live Smart, Market Pantry, and Sprouts. The recalled vegetables were distributed to retail locations across the United States between September 2, 2015 and June 2, 2016. Although this recall covers all products distributed in the United States, it does not include products distributed to Canada and Japan. A full list of the recalled products can be found here.
Frozen foods have recently been involved in one of the largest recalls in history. That recall was started by CRF Frozen Foods, and led to the eventual recall of over 300 products as well as 8 cases of Listeria poisoning. Similar to that recall and outbreak, the National Frozen Foods recall was caused by the same bacteria and also appears to be causing a few secondary recalls. Three other recalls have been connected to the National Frozen Foods recall so far.
The first two recalls actually came before the National Frozen Foods recall. On June 16, HelloFresh, of New York, New York issued a recall on frozen peas after it was informed of the contamination by National Frozen Foods. These frozen peas were included in recipe kits and distributed to Wisconsin, New Mexico, Nebraska, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Colorado, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, and Mississippi. The FDA describes the products under recall as “Summer Vegetable Salad with Seared Chicken, Garlic Croutons, and Mustard-Chive Vinaigrette (June 11-15, 2016), Lemony Pan-Seared Chicken with Pesto Potato Salad and Peas (March 12-18, 2016), and Seared Steak with Spring Veggie Succotash and Mint-Chive Pesto and Nir’s Lamb-Stuffed Zucchini with Spiced Lentil Stew (March 19-25, 2016).”
The second recall was also announced on June 16. This recall was issued by Essential Foods Inc., which is based in Seattle. The recall includes four flavors of Globespun Gourmet wraps. The wraps use frozen peas involved in the National Frozen Foods recall. They are packaged in 8 oz plastic packages. Recalled wraps can be identified by the UPC codes 3232800405, 3232800210, 3232800211, or 3232800503, and a date stamp of 06 17, 06 20, or 06 24. Products affected by the recall were distributed to grocery outlets and corporate cafeterias in Washington and Oregon.
The third recall was issued on June 17, by Pinnacle Foods Inc. The recall covers a limited number of C&W Early Harvest Petite Peas and C&W Petite Peas products. This recall was issued after National Frozen Foods informed Pinnacle Foods of the potential Listeria contamination. The products were distributed across the nation, as well as sold online. A full list of recalled products can be found here.
So far, there have been no reports of illness associated with this recall. However, these recalled products may still cause a Listeria monocytogenes infection if consumed. Listeria poisoning may begin to produce symptoms as soon as 3 days after infection. However, in some cases symptoms may take up to two months to appear. A Listeria infection will generally produce symptoms including fever, stiff neck, nausea, diarrhea, headaches, and muscle aches. Those with certain risk factors, including children, the elderly, pregnant women, those with suppressed immune systems, and those with HIV/AIDS may be at an increased risk of developing a serious Listeria infection.
If you or a loved one begins to show the symptoms of a Listeria infection, first contact a medical professional. If you are diagnosed with Listeria poisoning, it may be possible to seek compensation from National Frozen Foods. At Merman Law Firm, our highly experienced attorneys will work tirelessly to recover any losses due to suffering, pain, medical bills, and lost wages. If you think you may have a case, fill out our free case evaluation form.
Sources:
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm507535.htm
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm507280.htm
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm507326.htm?source=govdelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pinnacle-foods-inc-voluntarily-recalls-limited-quantity-of-cw-early-harvest-petite-peas-and-cw-petite-peas-due-to-possible-listeria-contamination-300286637.html
