SAN DIEGO -- QuikTrip Corp. is voluntarily recalling grilled chicken salads from its Arizona convenience stores because of a possible contamination with grape tomatoes, reported the Associated Press. Andrew Williamson Fresh Produce notified QuikTrip of a grape tomato recall because of the possibility of contamination with salmonella.
Officials with Tulsa, Okla.-based QuikTrip told the news agency on Friday that there have been no reported illnesses and the recall only affects its grilled chicken salads sold in Arizona. They said the grilled chicken salads with the recalled grape tomatoes are sold with lot codes located on the front of the package containing 506261, 506263, 506264, 506265, 506266, 506267, 506268, 506269, 506270, 506271, 506272, 506273, 506274 and 506275.
The recall has also affected Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets Inc. stores. The El Segundo, Calif.-based small-format grocer said on its website that "a supplier of Fresh & Easy is issuing a voluntary recall for some of their own brand Organic Grape Tomatoes due to a positive salmonella test. Fresh & Easy's Organic grape tomatoes come from the same supplier so through an abundance of caution we are removing them from our shelves and notifying customers."
It said that only fresh&easy organic grape tomatoes with the "display until" dates of SEP 09 to OCT 05 are affected. The rest of our grape tomatoes are not organic and therefore not affected, the retailer said.
There have been no reported illnesses, it added.
San Diego-based Andrew Williamson Fresh Produce said late last week that is has expanded the geographic scope of its voluntary recall of organic grape tomatoes. Although the volume of cases from the original production lot has not changed, the company recognized the possibility that some customers may have distributed the organic grape tomatoes beyond the original 18 states; therefore, the company has extended the recall to the entire United States. The recall also includes Canada, as initially indicated.
The recall notice is being issued out of an abundance of caution because one clamshell of Limited Edition organic grape tomatoes tested positive for salmonella in a random sample collected and tested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Michigan.
All customers who received the organic grape tomatoes directly from the company were notified on September 28 and advised to discard any existing product. No illnesses have been reported in association with this product, the company said.
The organic grape tomatoes are sold in 10.5-oz. plastic clam-shell containers containing UPC code 033383655925, located on the front of the package, below the barcode. The containers also have the words "LIMITED EDITION" and "Product of Mexico" printed on the label. The organic grape tomatoes are also sold in 7 oz. plastic clam-shell containers with Barcode 20025465, and marketed under the "Fresh & Easy" brand.
The voluntary recall only involves Limited Edition and Fresh & Easy labeled organic grape tomatoes and does not involve any other Limited Edition or Fresh & Easy branded produce items. Consumers who have any remaining product with UPC code 033383655925 or Barcode 20025465 should not consume it, but should instead discard it.
As an added safety measure, retailers are encouraged to check their inventories and store shelves to confirm that product is no longer available for purchase. Andrew Williamson Fresh Produce customer service representatives are contacting retailers to confirm that the recalled product is removed from commerce, it said.
Separately, Louisville, Ky.-based Thorntons Inc. is recalling its 6-oz. Garden Salads and 5.6-oz. Chef Salads because they have the potential to be contaminated with salmonella.
The recalled salads were manufactured and distributed by Cincinnati-based Greencore USA Inc. to select stores in Chicago, Cincinnati, Columbus, Ohio, Indianapolis, Evansville, Ind., Lexington and Nashville, Tenn.
No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem.
Greencore is recalling approximately 57 pounds of salad products containing meat and poultry, because the grape tomatoes used in these products may be contaminated with salmonella, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety & Inspection Service (FSIS) said.
The products subject to recall include Fresh Ground Turkey Chubs: 5.6-oz. plastic bowl containers of "Thornton's Quick Cafe's Chef Salad" with an "Enjoy By" date of "09/30/11," "10/02/2011" or "10/03/2011."
Each package bears a label with the establishment number "P38518" inside the USDA mark of inspection and the enjoy-by date as noted above. The products subject to recall were produced on September 26 and September 28, 2011.
The problem was discovered when Greencore USA was notified by its grape tomato supplier, Pearson Foods, that a specific lot of grape tomatoes was being recalled due to potential salmonella contamination.
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