A new multistate outbreak of Cyclospora infections is “potentially linked” to certain store brands of garden salad mix, according to federal health officials.
The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention both issued safety alerts Friday advising consumers in six Midwestern states to avoid select salads sold at Hy-Vee, Aldi and Jewel-Osco stores.
Jewel-Osco announced Saturday it is voluntarily recalling bagged Signature Farms Garden Salad sold in its stores in Illinois, Indiana and Iowa.
According to the CDC, there have been 76 confirmed illnesses with 16 hospitalizations reported in Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Minnesota.
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The two health agencies said their investigation is ongoing and there could be additional retailers and products “impacted by the outbreak.”
The pre-packaged, bagged garden salad blends contain iceberg lettuce, red cabbage and carrots. Other types of store brand packaged salads sold at the retailers are not part of the health notices.
“The FDA is working with the companies to determine the source of the products, but in the meantime, we are issuing a public warning to consumers to avoid the identified products to prevent additional infections,” Frank Yiannas, FDA deputy commissioner for food policy and response, said in a statement.
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis that can cause symptoms including diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach cramps, bloating, increased gas, nausea and fatigue, the CDC says.
According to the FDA and CDC, the illnesses of the confirmed cases started between May 11 to June 14.
The affected products include:
- ALDI Little Salad Bar Brand Garden Salad, which were sold in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota and Missouri.
- All Hy-Vee Brand Garden Salad sold in Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri and Nebraska.
- Jewel-Osco Signature Farms Brand Garden Salad sold in Illinois.
Jewel-Osco recalls Signature Farms Garden Salad
Jewel-Osco, part of Albertsons, announced in a statement Saturday that it was recalling 12-ounce bags of Signature Farms Garden Salad sold in Illinois, Indiana and Iowa, and it advised consumers to discard or return the bags.
The affected bags have “best if used by” dates of May 16 through July 4. The product has a UPC code of 21130 98135 and includes the plant number S5417.
For questions, consumers can call 1-877-723-3929.
Fresh Express Chopped Kit recall
Unrelated to the outbreak, Fresh Express announced Friday it was voluntarily recalling a limited quantity of Fresh Express 11.5-ounce Southwest Chopped Kit “due to the presence of undeclared wheat, soy, cashews, and coconut.”
According to the recall notice posted on the FDA’s website, for some the consumption of undisclosed allergens could cause allergic reactions that in some cases could be life-threatening.
The salads have a use-by date of June 29, a UPC code 0 71279 30602 5 and either production codes G163B10A or G163B10B.
The recalled salad kids were distributed between “June 12 and June 18 in the states of Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia,” the notice states.
Consumers are advised to discard to the recalled salad. Refunds are available where purchased or by contacting the Fresh Express Consumer Response Center toll-free at 800-242-5472 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.
Follow USA TODAY reporter Kelly Tyko on Twitter: @KellyTyko