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Growers Express issues recall of packaged vegetables

Growers Express

Fresh vegetable products distributed across the nation under several brand names have been voluntarily recalled by the manufacturer.

Growers Express says in a statement the products that include packaged varieties of butternut squash, cauliflower, zucchini and a butternut squash-based veggie bowl are being recalled because of possible listeria contamination.

"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," said the company. "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."

The products originated in a Growers Express facility in Biddeford, ME. They were sold under the brand names Green Giant Fresh, Growers Express, Signature Farms and Trader Joe's. Most of the affected products are labeled with a best-if-used-by date of June 26-June 29.

"We self-reported the need for this recall to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and stopped production immediately after being notified of a single positive sample by the Massachusetts Department of Health," said company President Tom Byrne. "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."

There are no reported illnesses associated with the recall. Consumers who bought any of the products should throw them away.

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