Growers Express Recalls Fresh Processed Vegetable Products After Positive Listieria Finding

Growers Express production facility in Biddeford, Maine is recalling  select fresh vegetable products  including packaged varieties of butternut squash, cauliflower, zucchini and a butternut squashed based veggie bowl due to the potential for contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.  According to the report, the recall was issued after being notified of a single positive sample by the Massachusetts Department of Health

"Most of the affected products are labeled with a “Best If Used By” Date of June 26 – June 29, 2019"...so a three day production window....and it should be noted that product has already its expiration date.  The company has stopped production and is "deep sanitizing the entire facility and our line equipment, as well as conducting continued testing on top of our usual battery of sanitation and quality and safety tests before resuming production."

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/growers-express-issues-voluntary-recall-multiple-fresh-vegetable-products-due-potential
Growers Express Issues Voluntary Recall of Multiple Fresh Vegetable Products Due to Potential Contamination of Listeria monocytogenes
Summary
Company Announcement Date: June 30, 2019
FDA Publish Date: July 01, 2019.
Product Type:Food & Beverages
Produce Reason for Announcement:  Listeria monocytogenes
Company Name: Growers Express
Brand Name:  Green Giant Fresh, Growers Express, Signature Farms, Trader Joe’s
Product Description:  Butternut squash, cauliflower, zucchini, and butternut squash based veggie bowl products

Company Announcement

Growers Express takes issues of food safety seriously and is issuing a voluntary recall of select fresh vegetable products in an abundance of caution and in the interest of protecting its customers and end consumers. The fresh vegetable products include packaged varieties of butternut squash, cauliflower, zucchini and a butternut squashed based veggie bowl. Please refer to the detailed chart below for specific product names and retailers.

The products originate from a Growers Express production facility in Biddeford, Maine and were distributed to the states referenced in the chart below. The voluntary recall was issued due to the potential for contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. There are no reported illnesses.

Listeria is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headaches, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

Most of the affected products are labeled with a “Best If Used By” Date of June 26 – June 29, 2019. No other Growers Express products are impacted or part of this recall. This recall does not affect or include any Green Giant® canned or frozen vegetable products.

"The safety of our consumers is our first priority," said Tom Byrne, President of Growers Express. "We self-reported the need for this recall to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and stopped production immediately after being notified of a single positive sample by the Massachusetts Department of Health. We are deep sanitizing the entire facility and our line equipment, as well as conducting continued testing on top of our usual battery of sanitation and quality and safety tests before resuming production."

Consumers who purchased any of the products listed below from the affected sell by dates or with an unreadable date code are urged not to consume them and to throw the products away.

Customers also have been notified to remove any remaining products from shelves and inventory. Please refer to the toll-free number listed on each package with any questions or requests for refund. Visit www.GrowersExpress.com/voluntaryrecallExternal Link Disclaimer for the most up-to-date information.

For over three decades, Growers Express has been committed to rigorous agricultural standards to ensure all vegetable products are the most wholesome and highest quality fresh vegetables available.

About Growers Express

Founded in 1987, Growers Express, LLC (GE) is an innovator of premium-quality fresh "value added" vegetable products, including first-to-market innovations such as Cauliflower Crumbles® chopped cauliflower, vegetable noodles and Veggie Bowls. Located in Salinas, California, also referred to as the "salad bowl of the world," Growers Express is the primary licensed partner of Green Giant™ Fresh, the exclusive fresh produce arm of the iconic Green Giant® brand.