Variety of frozen vegetables, blends, bowls recalled over listeria fears

A California food-packing company has voluntarily recalled a wide variety of packaged frozen vegetables, blends and bowls — under a variety of brand names — because of the potential of contamination with listeria bacteria, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration reported.

The recalled products have sell-by dates between Oct. 11 and Nov. 16 of this year.

The vegetables, including broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, kale and kohlrabi, along with vegetable blends and grain bowls that include those vegetables, were sold in a variety of states and stores.

The FDA and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency notified Mann Packing Co. of Salinas, California, that there was potential contamination of a variety of products.

Public health officials have not reported any illnesses linked to the recall, the FDA reported.

The full list of products recalled in the United States, under such brand names as Mann's, HEB, Hungryroot, Kroger, Del Monte, Marketside, Trader Joe's and Signature Farms, is available here.

Products can be returned for a full refund. Questions about the recall can be directed to Mann's 24-hour customer service line at 1-844-927-0707 or by email to Mann Packing Co. at consumers@mannpacking.com.

You can read Mann's recall notice here and and the FDA's report here.

Weis Markets, Giant Food Stores and Aldi have issued their own recalls for several Mann's products they carry.

In addition, Wegmans announced Monday it had recalled some of its Wegmans Veggie Power Blend and its Tofu Shiitake Slaw that was served in the supermarket chains' self-serve cold-food bars between Sept. 29 and Monday.

That recall is connected to the Mann Packing recall, Wegmans said.

The FDA cautions that the Listeria monocytogenes bacterium can cause listeriosis, a serious illness with symptoms including fever, muscle aches and severe gastrointestinal distress — and can even result in miscarriage or death.

According to federal food safety information found at foodsafety.gov, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are at special risk for listeria-related illness.

Crédito: MARY ELLEN WRIGHT | Staff Writer