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  4. Growers Express Issues Voluntary Recall of Multiple Fresh Vegetable Products Due to Potential Contamination of Listeria monocytogenes
  1. Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts

COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENT

Growers Express Issues Voluntary Recall of Multiple Fresh Vegetable Products Due to Potential Contamination of Listeria monocytogenes

This recall has been completed and FDA has terminated this recall.

When a company announces a recall, market withdrawal, or safety alert, the FDA posts the company's announcement as a public service. FDA does not endorse either the product or the company.

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Summary

Company Announcement Date:
FDA Publish Date:
Product Type:
Food & Beverages
Produce
Reason for Announcement:
Recall Reason Description
Listeria monocytogenes
Company Name:
Growers Express
Brand Name:
Brand Name(s)
Green Giant Fresh, Growers Express, Signature Farms, Trader Joe’s
Product Description:
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.

Retailer/Distributor Label Description/Brand Item Name Package Weight Item SKU UPC Number Lot No. States Affected Best By
Big Y Foods Green Giant Fresh Cauliflower Sweet Potato Crumbles 1 lb. MXC100101 605806000515 190612-403102 MA 6/28/2019
Green Giant Fresh Cauliflower Crumbles "Fried Rice" Blend 1 lb. MXC101101 605806000744 190612-403101 6/28/2019
Green Giant Fresh Butternut Diced 12 oz. BNC101101 605806138010 190614-403545 6/26/2019
Bozzutos Green Giant Fresh Cauliflower Sweet Potato Crumbles 1 lb. MXC100101 605806000515 190612-403102 CT 6/28/2019
Green Giant Fresh Cauliflower Crumbles "Fried Rice" Blend 1 lb. MXC101101 605806000744 190612-403101 6/28/2019
C&S Green Giant Fresh Cauliflower Crumbles "Fried Rice" Blend 1 lb. MXC101101 605806000744 190612-403101 MA 6/28/2019
Green Giant Fresh Butternut Diced 12 oz. BNC101101 605806138010 190614-403545 6/26/2019
Green Giant Fresh Butternut Cubed 2 lb. BNC102101 605806138218 190614-403576 6/26/2019
Food Lion Green Giant Fresh Cauliflower Crumbles "Fried Rice" Blend 1 lb. MXC101101 605806000744 190612-403101 SC, NC, PA, VA 6/28/2019
Four Seasons Green Giant Fresh Ramen Bowl 7.4 oz. MXC183104 605806027864 190614-403534 PA 6/28/2019
Native Maine Growers Express Butternut Peeled 10 lb. BNC103103 Foodservice 190614-403578 PA Pack Date Only
Procacci Green Giant Fresh Cauliflower Sweet Potato Crumbles 1 lb. MXC100101 605806000515 190612-403102 PA 6/28/2019
Ruby Robinson (PFG) Growers Express Butternut Peeled 10 lb. BNC103102 Foodservice 190614-403577 ME Pack Date Only
Shaws Signature Farms Cauliflower Crumbles 1 lb. CAC101109 2113098438 190612-403100 MA, ME, NH, RI, VT 6/28/2019
Green Giant Fresh Cauliflower Sweet Potato Crumbles 1 lb. MXC100101 605806000515 190612-403102 6/28/2019
Green Giant Fresh Ramen Bowl 7.4 oz. MXC183104 605806027864 190614-403534 6/28/2019
Green Giant Fresh Butternut Diced 12 oz. BNC101101 605806138010 190614-403545 6/26/2019
Stop & Shop Green Giant Fresh Zucchini Noodles 10.5 oz. MSC104102 605806000881 190614-403567 NY, MD 6/26/2019
Green Giant Fresh 10.5 oz. 190617-403954 6/29/2019
Trader Joe's Trader Joe's Butternut Squash Spirals 10.5 oz. BCN105106 623391 190614-403565 AL, CT, D.C., DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN (only Knoxville, Nashville), VA, VT, WI 6/28/2019
Trader Joe's Zucchini Spirals 10.5 oz. MSC104106 634908 190617-403814 AL, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, NC, NE, OH, SC, TN (only Knoxville, Nashville), VA (only Glen Allen, Newport News, Virginia Beach, Williamsburg), WI 6/27/2019

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 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.


Company Contact Information

Media:
Megan McCarl
231-670-5340
mmccarl@lambert.com
 
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