Travel & Lifestyle: Sprouts Farmers Market Recalls This Dish Due To Listeria Concerns

Sprouts Farmers Market has announced a recall of a pasta salad that was distributed to stores across the U.S. due to possible contamination by the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration announced this week.

The grocery store has recalled select lots of its Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad, which is sold either in the Grab & Go section or at the store’s deli service counter, the FDA said on Thursday. The product, which was distributed from Aug. 31 through Oct. 7, was distributed to the following 24 states: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming.

The products affected by the recall have the following Universal Product Codes: UPC 2-15786-00000 and UPC 2-15587-00000.

Both products have “Use By” dates ranging from Oct. 10 to Oct. 29, the agency said. Customers who have purchased these items are urged not to consume them and to dispose of them. Customers also have the option to return the affected products to their store for a full refund.

The FDA states that the recall was initiated after Sprouts Farmers Market was alerted by their supplier, Fresh Creative Foods, that the pasta in the pasta salad could potentially be contaminated. No illnesses have been reported, according to the agency.

There have been a number of food recalls over the past several months due to concerns of a possible listeria contamination after a listeria food poisoning outbreak was first announced in June.

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention released an update on Sept. 25 stating that the outbreak had been linked to 20 illnesses and four deaths. The agency also reported an illness in a pregnant mother that resulted in a pregnancy loss.

Food producer FreshRealm initially recalled chicken alfredo meals sold at Walmart and Kroger in June after the strain of listeria bacteria that made people sick was found in a sample of the meal. The CDC announced last month that FreshRealm had since tested the ingredients for its Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs & Marinara Sauce and found that the pasta tested positive for the same strain of listeria linked to the illnesses in the outbreak.

Nate’s Fine Foods, Inc., is the supplier of the affected pasta, according to the FDA. The company released a statement last week saying that it was “voluntarily recalling select products after being notified of a potential link to a multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes.”

Listeria monocytogenes is a type of bacteria that can cause an illness called listeriosis. The Mayo Clinic states that while healthy people “rarely become very ill” from listeriosis, it can be very serious for people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women and people older than 65.

“The disease can be fatal to unborn babies, newborns and people with weakened immune systems,” the organization states.

The common symptoms associated with a listeria infection can include diarrhea, vomiting, upset stomach, headache, chills, muscle or joint pain, and fever, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The website points out that more severe symptoms may include confusion, stiff neck, loss of balance and seizures.

Listeria infections are not contagious. You can get one by eating or drinking something contaminated with the bacteria.

The Cleveland Clinic says that certain practices can help reduce your risk of listeriosis, including avoiding unpasteurized dairy products and juices, washing your hands and food surfaces before and after cooking, and cleaning up spills from your refrigerator — especially juices from meat.

As always, talk to your health care provider with any concerns you may have about something you’ve eaten or any possible symptoms you may be experiencing.