The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is inspecting a Fresh Express production facility in Streamwood, after bagged salads made there and sold at chains like Jewel, Aldi and Walmart were linked to a multistate outbreak of intestinal infections caused by the cyclospora parasite.
Earlier this month, federal authorities warned consumers not to eat store-branded packaged garden salads from Jewel, Aldi and Hy-Vee made by Fresh Express.
On Monday, the FDA said Fresh Express recalled its own branded bagged salads containing iceberg lettuce, red cabbage and/or carrots that display the product code Z178 or a lower number, and a “best buy” date that runs through July 14.
The agency said its investigation also includes products made for Walmart, Giant Eagle and ShopRite.
The Streamwood plant, which employs more than 500 full-time workers, continues to operate but products containing iceberg lettuce, red cabbage and carrot ingredients are not being produced currently, company spokeswoman Barbara Hines said.
Investigators are working with Fresh Express, a subsidiary of Chiquita Brands, to determine whether other brands and retailers may be affected. The recalled store brands include Aldi Little Salad Bar, Jewel-Osco Signature Farms, ShopRite Wholesome Pantry, and Walmart Marketside. The bagged salads were sold in Illinois and more than 20 other states.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 200 illnesses and 23 hospitalizations have been reported in eight Midwestern states. As of Monday, Illinois had 57 cases, surpassed only by Iowa, with 74 cases.
In 2018 a cyclospora outbreak that sickened 511 people was linked to romaine in McDonald’s salads supplied by Fresh Express, which subsequently convened a panel to explore how to guard against future outbreaks.
People become infected with cyclospora by consuming food or water contaminated with human feces that contain the parasite, with frequent bouts of watery diarrhea the most common symptom. Symptoms, which usually begin a week after exposure, can also include loss of appetite, weight loss, cramping, nausea, fatigue and low-grade fever. The infection can be treated with antibiotics.
