Fresh Express and Publix Bagged Spinach Recalled Over Listeria Concerns

Publix and Fresh Express bagged Spinach has been recalled over Listeria concerns. The vegetables, which are freshly bagged and can be eaten raw or cooked, are under a recall after the Florida Department of Agriculture registered a positive result for Listeria during a routine test.

The recalled spinach was sold by retailers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, Fresh Express stated in a Food and Drug Administration notice. 

The products recalled include 8-ounce bags with product code G332 and a use-by date of Dec. 15. These were distributed to five states — Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia.

Publix spinach sold in 9-ounce bags is also part of the recall. They have the identical product code but have a use-by date of Dec. 14. These were distributed in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.

The recall was initiated after routine sampling conducted by the Florida Department of Agriculture yielded a positive result for Listeria in a randomly selected package of the product. Fresh Express immediately notified affected retailers and instructed them to remove the recalled items from store shelves and all inventories, according to the FDA.

If consumers have these recalled items in their refrigerators, they should be immediately discarded and not consumed. To obtain a refund or for more information, consumers may call the Fresh Express Consumer Response Center at 800-242-5472 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. Eastern Time. Refunds are also available where the packages were purchased.

Listeria monocytogenes can cause short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. It can also cause severe and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or older adults, and others with weakened immune systems, per the FDA’s website.

This past summer, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention investigated a supposed listeria outbreak also associated with leafy greens. 19 illnesses and 18 hospitalizations were reportedly associated with it across 16 states, but the affected products were not recalled.

No illnesses have yet been reported in connection with this current recall.