Dole Lettuce Recall
E. coli O157:H7 has been found in bagged Dole salad. It is becoming an annual event:
- In 2005 Dole bagged lettuce salad was recalled after health officials linked the salad to several cases of E. coli O157:H7
- In 2006 at least 3 people died and hundreds were sickened in an E. coli outbreak linked to Dole bagged baby spinach
- In 2007 bagged “Dole Hearts Delight” lettuce salad was recalled by Dole Fresh Vegetables, a division of Dole Food Company, Inc.
This 2007 Dole recall involves all salad bearing the label "Dole Hearts Delight" sold in the U.S. and Canada with a "best if used by (BIUB)" date of September 19, 2007, and a production code of "A24924A" or "A24924B" stamped on the package. The "best if use by (BIUB)" code date can be located in the upper right hand corner of the front of the bag. In the United States, the salad was sold in plastic bags of 227 grams in Canada and one-half pound in the U.S., with UPC code 071430-01038.
The recall is occurring because a sample in a grocery store in Canada was found through random screening to contain E. coli O157:H7. Eric Schwartz, President, Dole Fresh Vegetables, stated: "Our overriding concern is for consumer safety. We are working closely with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and several U.S. state health departments."
One has to wonder if it is safe to sell fresh-cut produce in a plastic bag. There are many opportunities for contamination with E. coli O157:H7 and other pathogens that then grow exponentially in a plastic bag.
For those most at risk for E. coli O157:H7—the very young, the elderly, and the immunocompromised—it may be best to avoid lettuce and spinach sold “”pre-washed” in bags.
Pritzker Law is a leading E. coli litigation law firm. For a free consultation, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm’s online consultation form.
