Spinach Recall Update As FDA Sets Highest Risk Level

On Friday the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classified the recall of a range of spinach products produced by Solata Foods LLC as class one, meaning they believe consuming any of the items could cause “serious adverse health consequences or death.”

A recall was initially issued by Solata Foods LLC on June 21 over fears the products could be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, with the FDA publishing a recall notice on its website on June 27. According to the FDA’s notice, infection with Listeria monocytogenes can “cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people” and “can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.” Symptoms of an infection can include “high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.”

The recalled products, which consisted of spinach and mixed salads, were sold under the brand names Solata, Gaia Organic, Full Circle Organic, Farmer Direct, Uncle Vinny’s and Bogopa.

All recalled products have an expiration date “of 6/20/24 and 6/24/24 stamped on the side” and were distributed to local stores in New York, New Jersey and New Hampshire with “lot numbers # 40606 and 11006 on the package.”

The full list of recalled products and their UPC codes are: Greens Solata Spinach 10x9Bag (854311007391), Greens Gaia Organic Spring Mix 6×1.7Clam (850039434075), Greens Gaia Organic Spring Mix 6×1.7Clam (85003943408), Greens Full Circle Organic Spring Mix 6x10Clam (036800490529), Greens Full Circle Organic Baby Spinach 6x10Clam (036800490512), Greens Solata 5050 6x10Clam (850021494766), Greens Solata Baby Spinach 6x10Clam (85002149475), Greens Solata Spring Mix 6x10Clam (85002149475), Greens Gaia Organic Baby Spinach 6x10Clam (850021494837), Greens Gaia Organic Spring Mix 6x10Clam (850021494858), Greens Gaia Organic 5050 6x10Clam (850021494827), Greens Full Circle Organic Baby Spinach 6x16Clam (036800288251), Greens Full Circle Organic Spring Mix 6x16Clam (036800288744), Greens Farmer Direct Organic Chopped Kale Spinach 6x9Bag (854311007377), Greens Uncle Vinny’s Savoy Spinach 8x10Bag (804879442769), Greens Gaia Organic Baby Spinach 8x45Clam (850021494964), Greens Gaia Organic Spring Mix 8x45Clam (850021494971), Greens Gaia Organic Power Greens 8x45Clam (850021494889), Greens Gaia Organic 50/50 Blend 8x45Clam (850021494919), Greens Gaia Organic 50/50 8x45Clam (850021494957), Greens Gaia Organic Spring Mix Herb 8x45Clam (850021494896), Greens Full Circle Organic 5050 8x5Clam (036800341562), Greens Full Circle Organic Baby Spinach 8x5Clam (036800179899), Greens Full Circle Organic Spring Mix 8x5Clam (036800179882), Greens Full Circle Organic Power Greens 8x5Clam (036800388758), Greens Solata 50/50 Blend 8x5Clam (854311007070), Greens Solata Baby Spinach 8x5Clam (854311007001), Greens Solata Power Greens 8x5Clam (854311007056), Greens Solata Spring Mix 8x5Clam (854311007032), Greens Solata Spring Mix Herb 8x5Clam (854311007063), Greens Uncle Vinny’s 50/50 Blend 8x5Clam (804879525158), Greens Uncle Vinny’s Power Greens 8x5Clam (804879503095), Greens Uncle Vinny’s Spring Mix 8x5Clam (804879133414), Greens Solata 50/50 Blend 8x5Clam (854311007087), Greens Uncle Vinny’s 5050 8x5Clam (804879525165), Greens Uncle Vinny’s Spring Mix Herb 8x5Clam (804879459965), Greens Uncle Vinny’s Baby Spinach 8x5Clam (804879133438), Greens Solata Spinach 9x9Bag (854311007391), Greens Uncle Vinny’s Savoy Spinach 9x9Bag (804879442769), Greens Bogopa Spinach 9x9Bag (819964014695) and Greens Bulk Spring Mix 2×1.5 (40606 AND 11006).

According to the FDA website a class one recall takes place in “a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.”

Newsweek contacted Solata Foods LLC for comment via telephone, voicemail message and online inquiry form on Saturday outside of usual business hours.

The initial FDA recall notice of June 27 said there had been no reports of illnesses in connection with the impacted products up to that point.

Contamination was found by a sampling conducted by New York State Department of Agriculture and Market Food Inspectors, with analysis by Food Laboratory employees confirming the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. Anyone with queries is advised to contact Solata Foods LLC on (845) 393-0089.

On July 11 the FDA classified the recall of tomato sauce produced by Hudson Harvest Wholesale of Germantown as grade two in severity.

The initial recall was issued after reports of “swelling, leaking, or bursting jars” leading to “a possibility that the product has been under-processed, potentially leading to spoilage organisms or pathogens.”

Separately, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service issued a product warning for corned beef and chicken spread products in nine states after concluding they were imported illegally from the Philippines.