Missa Bay, LLC is recalling over 75,000 pounds of salad products in 22 states, including Illinois, because it may be contaminated with E. coli. O157:H7.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said that salad products from Missa Bay produced between October 14, 2019 and October 16, 2019 are subject to the recall. They bear the establishment number “EST. 18502B” inside the USDA mark of inspection. The recall includes ready-made salads sold by Walmart, Target, Aldi, Sam’s Club, and Domino’s Pizza, among others.
So far, a total of 40 people have been infected with O157:H7 and 28 hospitalizations have been reported, according to the latest updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback evidence collected to date indicate that romaine lettuce from the Salinas, California growing region may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 and is making people sick,” the CDC reported.
An investigation into the outbreak is ongoing.
Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria typically live in the intestines of healthy people and animals, and are generally harmless, causing only symptoms such as diarrhea. However, some strains, including O157:H7, have much more serious symptoms that range from severe abdominal cramps to bloody diarrhea and vomiting. While most adults recover from this strain within one week, young children and older adults are at risk of developing hemolytic uremic syndrome, a life-threatening type of kidney failure.
Those infected with O157:H7 start to show symptoms three or four days after being exposed to the bacteria. Symptoms include abdominal cramping, pain or tenderness, diarrhea, and nausea and vomiting. Meanwhile, hemolytic uremic syndrome causes easy bruising, pallor and decreased urine output, and authorities advise that anyone experiencing those symptoms should seek emergency medical treatment immediately.
Outside of Illinois, affected products were shipped to Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
FSIS warns that consumers may have some of these products in their refrigerators and urges people to throw them away or return them to the place of purchase. A full list of affected products can be found here.