SALT LAKE CITY — A Listeria outbreak linked to packaged salads by Dole has struck at least one Utahn, though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Food and Drug Administration reports many more may unknowingly be infected.
CDC investigators found Listeria in two different packaged salads by Dole, and several others from Fresh Express.
Currently, 16 people have been infected from thirteen states, including Utah, with two deaths reported. In response, Dole recalled several of its brands that include "best if used by" dates from November 30, 2021 to January 8, 2022.
Recalled brands include Ahold, Dole, Kroger, Lidl, Little Salad Bar, Marketside, Naturally Better, Nature’s Promise, and Simply Nature. The CDC warns that people should not eat any of these products until investigators establish the extent of the contamination.
Because Listeria can easily spread to other foods and surfaces, the CDC recommends that these five steps be taken to avoid spreading the contamination.
Symptoms of Listeria infection include headache, stiff neck, confusion, a loss of balance, and convulsions, which usually starts one to four weeks after eating contaminated food, but can occur as early as one day or as late as 70 days after eating the affected product.
Idaho, Nevada, and Oregon are the other Western states reporting Listeria cases.
For information about cases in Utah, go to the state Department of Health's website.
