P
Patriot Games
Guest
http://www.newsmax.com/us/lettuce_recall/2007/09/17/33436.html
Dole Lettuce Recalled in U.S., Canada
Monday, September 17, 2007
SAN FRANCISCO -- A division of Dole Food Co. issued an international recall
of bagged salad Monday after a sample taken from a store in Canada tested
positive for E. coli, the company said.
There have been no reports of illness, company officials said.
The voluntary recall affects all packages of Dole's Hearts Delight salad mix
sold in the United States and Canada with a "best if used by" date of
September 19, 2007, and a production code of "A24924A" or "A24924B," Dole
said.
The product was sold in Ontario, Quebec and the Maritime Provinces in Canada
and in Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, Tennessee and neighboring U.S. states starting the weekend
before last, said Marty Ordman, a Dole spokesman.
The romaine, green leaf and butter lettuce hearts that went into the blend
were grown in California, Colorado and Ohio, then processed at Dole's plant
in Springfield, Ohio on Sept. 6, according to Ordman.
Eighty-eight cases were distributed in Canada and 755 cases in the U.S., he
said.
The company's move came a day after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency
warned consumers not to eat Hearts Delight.
"Our overriding concern is for consumer safety," Eric Schwartz, president of
the Dole Fresh Vegetable division said in a statement. He said the company
was working with U.S. and Canadian health agencies, as well as those in
various states.
The Food and Drug Administration was talking with Westlake Village,
Calif.-based Dole about the situation, agency spokesman Michael Herndon
said.
The Canadian agency said it would be looking to find out at what point the
salad blend, which is imported into Canada, became contaminated and to see
if any other products are affected, spokesman Garfield Balsom said.
Last year, an E. coli outbreak traced to bagged baby spinach was blamed for
the deaths of three people and for sickening hundreds more across the U.S.
State and federal authorities ultimately identified a central California
cattle ranch next to spinach fields belonging to one of Dole's suppliers as
being the source of the bacteria.
Food contaminated with this strain of E. coli may not look or smell spoiled
but health officials say the bacteria can cause life-threatening illnesses.
Symptoms include severe abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea; some people can
have seizures or strokes and some may need blood transfusions and kidney
dialysis, while others may live with permanent kidney damage.
Dole Lettuce Recalled in U.S., Canada
Monday, September 17, 2007
SAN FRANCISCO -- A division of Dole Food Co. issued an international recall
of bagged salad Monday after a sample taken from a store in Canada tested
positive for E. coli, the company said.
There have been no reports of illness, company officials said.
The voluntary recall affects all packages of Dole's Hearts Delight salad mix
sold in the United States and Canada with a "best if used by" date of
September 19, 2007, and a production code of "A24924A" or "A24924B," Dole
said.
The product was sold in Ontario, Quebec and the Maritime Provinces in Canada
and in Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, Tennessee and neighboring U.S. states starting the weekend
before last, said Marty Ordman, a Dole spokesman.
The romaine, green leaf and butter lettuce hearts that went into the blend
were grown in California, Colorado and Ohio, then processed at Dole's plant
in Springfield, Ohio on Sept. 6, according to Ordman.
Eighty-eight cases were distributed in Canada and 755 cases in the U.S., he
said.
The company's move came a day after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency
warned consumers not to eat Hearts Delight.
"Our overriding concern is for consumer safety," Eric Schwartz, president of
the Dole Fresh Vegetable division said in a statement. He said the company
was working with U.S. and Canadian health agencies, as well as those in
various states.
The Food and Drug Administration was talking with Westlake Village,
Calif.-based Dole about the situation, agency spokesman Michael Herndon
said.
The Canadian agency said it would be looking to find out at what point the
salad blend, which is imported into Canada, became contaminated and to see
if any other products are affected, spokesman Garfield Balsom said.
Last year, an E. coli outbreak traced to bagged baby spinach was blamed for
the deaths of three people and for sickening hundreds more across the U.S.
State and federal authorities ultimately identified a central California
cattle ranch next to spinach fields belonging to one of Dole's suppliers as
being the source of the bacteria.
Food contaminated with this strain of E. coli may not look or smell spoiled
but health officials say the bacteria can cause life-threatening illnesses.
Symptoms include severe abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea; some people can
have seizures or strokes and some may need blood transfusions and kidney
dialysis, while others may live with permanent kidney damage.
