One of the packaged meals at Whole Foods may contain listeria. There’s a nationwide recall.
Whole Foods’ packaged, single-serve microwavable meals that include salmon, chicken and vegetable dishes sit prominently on display at the markets nationwide.
There’s a problem with one of them.
Bakkavor USA of Charlotte, North Carolina, announced a voluntary recall of Whole Foods Market Red Lentil Dal, which includes pickled curry cauliflower, an ingredient produced by Doux South Specialties, because the dish may be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes.
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Bakkavor announced the recall on April 21 and it was posted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration the same day.
Two days earlier, on April 19, Doux South Specialties told Bakkavor USA of their pickled curry cauliflower recall. Bakkavor USA immediately stopped production and distribution of the Whole Foods Market Red Lentil Dal, the FDA alert said.
The FDA and Doux South Specialties are continuing an investigation to see what caused the problem.
No illnesses have been reported as of the recall date.
What to look for
The Whole Foods Market Red Lentil Dal is sold in 12-ounce plastic trays with UPC 1 95515 02394 8.
The recalled products have the following Use By dates printed on the tray’s paper band: 4/15/2022, 4/17/2022, 4/18/2022, 4/19/2022, 4/22/2022, 4/24/2022, 4/25/2022, 4/26/2022.
These Red Lentil Dal packages were distributed to Whole Foods Market stores in Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennyslvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Wyoming.
Listeria risk
Listeria is the third leading cause of death from food poisoning in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An estimated 1,600 people get sick from listeria each year, and about 260 die.
Those most vulnerable to get sick are pregnant women and their newborns, adults 65 or older, and people with weakened immune systems. The organism can lead to short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.
What you should do
Customers who purchased this product at Whole Foods Market are advised to bring a valid receipt into the store for a full refund. Consumers with questions can call 1-844-936-8255 between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. central standard time Monday-Friday, or 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
This story was originally published April 23, 2022 at 10:59 AM with the headline "One of the packaged meals at Whole Foods may contain listeria. There’s a nationwide recall.."
