Mann’s Issues Massive Veggie Recall on Listeria Fear
Out of what it calls “an abundance of caution,” Mann Packing has issued a voluntary recall of minimally processed branded and private label vegetable products that could be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The Salinas, Calif.-based company decided on the recall after random sampling by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency detected a single positive result in a Mann’s product. The supplier noted that to date, no illnesses associated with these products have been reported.
The retail and foodservice products affected by the recall were distributed throughout the United States and Canada with “best if used by” dates ranging from Oct. 11 through Oct. 20 listed on the front of the packaging. Private label items carried by H-E-B, Target (under its Archer Farms brand), Safeway (under its Signature Farms brand) Trader Joe’s and Walmart were among those recalled. In the wake of the recall, Meijer decided to recall more than 30 store-brand vegetable products, which it sourced from Mann Packing. The products were sold in Meijer stores in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin, and purchased Sept. 27 through Oct. 20.
Mann Packing is fully cooperating with U.S. and Canadian health officials on the recall, and is contacting all affected retailers to confirm that the recalled product has been removed from store shelves. Consumers who have purchased any recalled products were instructed not to eat them and either throw them away or return them to store where they were purchased for a full refund.
“As an owner of this company and a mom, providing safe and healthy foods to our consumers and their families is always our top priority,” noted Mann Packing Director of Corporate Marketing Gina Nucci. “This voluntary recall is a reflection of our commitment to ensuring the safety of our consumers.”
Listeria monocytogenes can cause serious, sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with compromised immune systems. Although healthy people may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, the organism can cause miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women.