Albertsons Issues Recall Over Listeria Concerns

Albertsons Companies has voluntarily recalled five ReadyMeals and store-made taco kits supplied by Fresh Creative Foods due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The select meals and kits contain a recalled cheese ingredient supplied by Rizo-López Foods, Inc., of Modesto, California.

The FDA and CDC, in collaboration with state and local partners, are investigating illnesses in a multi-year, multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections linked to queso fresco and cotija cheeses manufactured by Rizo-López Foods. Rizo-López Foods’ recall announcement can be found here.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.

Consumers who have purchased these items are urged not to consume these products and to dispose of them or return the items to their local store for a full refund. The FDA recommends in these cases that anyone who purchased or received any recalled products to use extra vigilance in cleaning and sanitizing any surfaces and containers that may have come in contact with these products to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. Listeria monocytogenes can survive in refrigerated temperatures and can easily spread to other foods and surfaces.

The ReadyMeals and store-made taco kits and meals were available for purchase at the following banner stores: Albertsons, Carrs-Safeway, Eagle, Lucky, Pavilions, Randalls, Safeway, Shaw's, Star Market, Tom Thumb and Vons in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wyoming.

Consumers with questions should contact Albertsons Companies’ Customer Service Center at 1-877-723-3929 Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. PST.