Vegetable Recall 2019: Fresh Vegetable Bowls Recalled For Listeria Concerns

Following the June 18 avocado recall by Nature’s Touch Frozen Foods (West) Inc. and the June 17 frozen cut leaf spinach recall by Sprouts Farmers Market - both for Listeria contamination - Growers Express has recalled a series of fresh vegetables including butternut squash, cauliflower, zucchini, and butternut squashed-based veggie bowls because they may be contaminated with Listeria.

The recalled vegetables were distributed in a number of states. A full list of products and states where the vegetables have been recalled can be viewed here.

Most of the recalled vegetable products have a Best If Used By Date of June 26 through June 29, 2019. The recall does not affect any other Growers Express products or Green Giant canned or frozen vegetables.

The recalled vegetables were sold at Big Y Foods, Bozzutos, C&S, Food Lion, Four Seasons, Native Maine, Procacci, Ruby Robinson (PFG), Shaws, Stop & Shop, and Trader Joe’s.

Consumers that have purchased the recalled vegetables should not consume them. The products should be thrown away.

Refunds can be requested by calling the toll-free number listed on the package. Questions about the recall can be directed to the same number. More information is available at www.GrowersExpress.com/voluntaryrecall.

“The safety of our consumers is our first priority,” Tom Byrne, president of Growers Express said. “We self-reported the need for this recall to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and stopped production immediately after being notified of a single positive sample by the Massachusetts Department of Health.

“We are deep sanitizing the entire facility and our line equipment, as well as conducting continued testing on top of our usual battery of sanitation and quality and safety tests before resuming production,” he added.

The company has not received any reports of illness from the recalled vegetables.

Listeria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children and elderly adults or those with a weakened immune system. Symptoms may include high fever, severe headaches, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Listeria can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women.