No illnesses have been linked to the affected products so far, but health officials are urging consumers to throw away the products immediately as SalmonellaTrusted Source can cause severe health issues in some people — especially infants, older adults, and those with compromised immune systems.
“Salmonella is concerning to consumers because it can contaminate food and lead to foodborne illness. Though most cases of Salmonella are not severe and consist of diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fever, in certain individuals it can lead to bloodstream infections, hospitalization, and death,” Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious diseases physician and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security, told Healthline.
Here’s what’s been recalled
The contaminated spinach products were sold in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
They affected products, which have a use-by date of August 5, 2019, include:
According to Dole, the packages were expired and should no longer be on the shelves.
However, seeing as people may still have the spinach stored in their fridge, it’s crucial to check your food and throw it away if it’s from the affected lots.
The bottom line
Dole Fresh Vegetables Inc. issued a recall for several packages of fresh baby spinach due to a possible Salmonella contamination.
While there have been no reported illnesses linked to the contamination yet, health officials are urging consumers to throw away the affected products as Salmonella can cause severe health issues in infants, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems.
While the infection usually clears up on its own in most people, at-risk patients may experience blood stream infections, hospitalization, and even death.