Contaminated Salads From Food Chains Sets Off Food Safety Alert

Salads and wrap products sold at Walgreens, Trader Joe’s and Kroger are now under an alert issued by the Food Safety and Inspection Service. The alert was caused by the finding that the products were contaminated by a parasite that attacks the intestines called Cyclospora Cayetanensis. The FSIS is recommending the products be disposed of or returned to the store.

This alert involves the same supplier with the same parasite outbreak that caused the fast food chain, McDonald’s to stop offering salads in about 15 states affecting over three thousand of their stores until they were able to switch suppliers. The Food and Drug Administration reports that the fast food chain replaced their supplier after over 150 people became ill across 10 states.

The same supplier that was responsible for the salmonella outbreak from melons a couple of months ago, Caito Foods LLC, states that Fresh Express is the target of this contamination alert. The supplier sends out products made by Fresh Express and notified the customer base that the romaine was the focus of a FSIS recall. They are cooperating fully to get the products pulled from the stores. The products were marked as being made on July 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th and have a best by date of July 18th to the 23rd. Close to the USDA inspection mark is the printed codes EST. P-39985 or 39985.


It can take from two day to two weeks for the parasite to start causing a reaction. Symptoms of the parasite infection are stomach cramps, stomach pain, nausea, weight loss, loss of appetite, diarrhea, flu-like symptoms and fatigue. This information comes from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.