If you rely on Trader Joe's grab-and-go section for a quick and easy dinner, you might want to double-check your purchases. The company has issued a voluntary recall on several products that may be contaminated with Listeria. The Trader Joe's recall includes some packaged foods like prepared sushi, poke bowls, and a queso fundido dip that come in plastic trays with plastic covers, CNN reports.
According to a statement on Trader Joe’s website, no one has yet gotten sick from the possible Listeria contamination, so thus far the recall is just a precaution. The concern arose when a Trader Joe’s supplier, Fuji Food Products, issued their own recall after an inspection by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found evidence of possible contamination at a Fuji Food facility in Massachusetts. This recall is the first in Fuji Food Products history, according to an FDA statement. The statement also notes that the recall affects products being sold in 7-11 and Walgreen’s.
The potential impact of Listeria contamination in Trader Joe’s stores includes a host of pre-packaged refrigerated food, which have already been removed from the shelves, according to the company’s statement. According to Trader Joe's, the list of recalled foods includes: California Rolls, Classic California Rolls with Brown Rice & Avocado, Spicy California Rolls, Tempura Shrimp Crunch Rolls, Tofu Spring Rolls, Shrimp Spring Rolls, Smoked Salmon Philly Roll, Smoked Salmon Poke Bowl, Banh Mi Inspired Noodle Bowl, and Queso Fundido Spicy Cheese Dip. Trader Joe’s statement encourages customers who have already purchased these items to either discard them or bring them back into the store so they can receive a full refund on their purchase.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), eating food that is contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, which can cause listeriosis. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, dizziness, and fatigue, and can cause life-threatening infections to newborns and health complications for pregnant people. The CDC reports that these symptoms, and the bacteria itself, can be combatted with antibiotics. People at high risk for developing infections from Listeria include newborns, pregnant people, older adults, and people who already have compromised immune systems, the CDC says.
If you think you may have eaten contaminated food and might be at risk of getting sick, your doctor can test you for a Listeria infection and prescribe you antibiotics, according to the CDC. When you’re heading to Trader Joe’s for your next grocery run, you should be able to find other products to satisfy your snacky needs, and you’ll be good to go.
