News
Ready-To-Eat Sushi & Salads Sold At Trader Joe's, 7-Eleven & More Have Been Recalled
If you were planning on grabbing a quick dinner of California rolls or a pre-made salad on your way home from work, you made want to just order a pizza instead. Announced on Dec. 4, an assortment of ready-to-eat salads, sushi, other food items have been recalled in 31 states due to listeria concerns.
Fuji Food Products has voluntarily recalled several kinds of ready-to-eat salads, sushi, spring rolls, and poke bowls sold at major retailers like Trader Joe's, Walgreens, 7-Eleven, Food Lion, and other regional chains. The recalled products were sold in 31 different states along the East Coast and in the Midwest, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The voluntary recall was issued out of "an abundance of caution" in response to a possible listeria contamination that was discovered during a routine inspection conducted by the FDA at the Fuji Foods Products facility located in Massachusetts. "As responsible processors of safe, fresh food for nearly 30 years, we are addressing this problem vigorously and we apologize to those who are affected by it," Fuji Food Products CEO Farrell Hirsch said in a statement to Romper. "We will restart operation only after we have eliminated the cause and the FDA certifies that our facility is again free of a possible contamination."
The voluntary recalled sushi rolls and other products were sold under the brand names Okami and Trader Joe's with a range of sell-by dates between Nov. 18 to Dec. 24. The items were also packed in plastic trays with clear lids, with the sell-by dates located on the labels. A full list of the food products included in the voluntary recall — such as Trader Joe's 8-piece spicy California roll and Okami tempura 6-piece shrimp roll — can be found on the FDA's website.
While public health officials have not reported any illnesses associated with these products, it's important to take note of such recalls. People exposed to food contaminated with the bacterium, Listeria monocytogenes, can get a fever, diarrhea, and experience other serious symptoms because of it, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Additionally, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are at greater risk for infection after consuming listeria contaminated foods.
If you happen to have any of the recalled items, consumers are encouraged to throw them away and to contact the Fuji Foods customer service line at 1-888-667-1504 with any additional questions.