Listeria Prompts Recall Of These Spinach, Salad Kits Grown In NJ

A voluntary recall has been issued across seven states for BrightFarms spinach and four salad kits, the FDA announced on Wednesday, Jan. 17.

One of several BrightFarms products that are part of a recall due to listeria, according to the FDA.
Photo Credit: *FDA/BrightFarms*

Jillian Pikora

01/18/2024 2:30 p.m.

The recall includes spinach grown by BrightFarms's supplier, Element Farms, located in Pompton Plains, New Jersey. Brightfarms has temporarily suspended the distribution of any spinach grown at the farm due to the recall.

The FDA explained there was "potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes" from the products distributed from its Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania facility.

Listeria monocytogenes can cause potentially fatal infections in young children, the elderly, and those with weak immune systems. Healthy consumers exposed to listeria would possibly only experience short-term symptoms like "high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea," as stated in the release.

The FDA also noted that listeria can cause miscarriages and stillbirths.

Anyone with the above symptoms should contact their healthcare provider. No illnesses due to the food have been reported as of Wednesday.

The recall is across Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. Retailers have been instructed to remove the recalled products from store shelves in all seven states.

All five products come in clear, plastic containers, and the UPC code, facility codes, and best-by-dates can be found at the bottom of the packages.

The items recalled are the following:

Baby Spinach 3.5oz; UPC 8-57062-00492-3; Facility Code PEN8; best-by-dates: 1/11/2024, 1/13/2024, 1/18/2024, 1/20/2024.
BrightFarms Mediterranean Crunch Kit 6.35oz; UPC 8-50051-82501-1; Facility Code PEN4; best-by-dates: 1/15/2024, 1/20/2024.
BrightFarms Chickpea Caesar Crunch Kit 6.50oz; UPC 8-57062-00415-2; Facility Code PEN4; best-by-dates: 1/15/2024, 1/20/2024.
BrightFarms Bacon Ranch Crunch Kit 6.70oz; UPC 8-57062-00416-9; Facility Code PEN4; best-by-date: 1/15/2024.
BrightFarms Southwest Chipotle 5.85oz; UPC 8-50051-82500-4; Facility Code PEN4; best-by-date: 1/15/2024.

Customers are asked not to consume the products. Instead, you can request a refund by taking a photo of the item and/or the receipt and bringing it to the store where the item was purchased. Once you have those photos the FDA and BrightFarms remind customers to throw the food away.

Anyone with questions can call 1-866-857-8745 between 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. EDT or email info@brightfarms.com with the subject line: Recall.

Click here to view additional photos of the products.

Click here to follow Daily Voice Ridgewood and receive free news updates.