E. coli breakout causes recall of Trader Joe’s ready-to-eat salads

PHOENIX — According to a release by the United States Department of Agriculture Sunday, California-based Glass Onion Catering is recalling approximately 181,620 pounds of ready-to-eat salads and sandwich wrap products with fully-cooked chicken and ham that may be contaminated with E. coli.

The salads and sandwhich wrap products were sent to distributions centers intended for retail sale in eight states: Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Washington.

Working in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), FDA, the California Department of Public Health, the Washington State Department of Health, and the Arizona Department of Health Services, Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has determined that there is a link between the grilled chicken salads and the illness cluster. Twenty-six case-patients have been identified in three states with indistinguishable E. coli O157:H7 PFGE (genetic fingerprint) patterns with illness onset dates ranging from Sept 29, 2013 to Oct. 26, 2013.

Of those twenty-six patients, 15 reported that they had consumed one of the pre-packaged salads prior to illness.

In an online note to its customers, Trader Joe’s, a national supermarket chain with locations around Arizona, acknowledged that they carried the salads prior to the recall, including the Mexicali Brand Salad with Chili Lime Chicken, Field Fresh Chopped Salad with Grilled Chicken and Classic Greek Salad.

In accordance with our stringent health and safety standards, and as an extreme precaution, all of the potentially affected product has been removed from sale and destroyed.

If you purchased these items, please do not eat them. You may return them to any Trader Joe’s for a full refund or dispose of them.

Customers with questions may contact Trader Joe’s Customer Relations at (626) 599-3817 [Monday through Friday, 7:00 am to 5:00 pm Pacific Time].

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.