Feb. 6, 2023 – Dozens of brands of prepared foods are being recalled due to possible contamination with the dangerous bacteria listeria. The products were sold at a wide variety of locations, including retail stores, on trains, and in vending machines.
The recall lists more than 400 prepared food items, including:
- Breakfast sandwiches
- Parfaits and fruit cups
- Snack packs
- Sandwiches and hoagies
- Pizzas
- Salads
- Desserts
The affected foods have a “Fresh Creative Cuisine” label on the top, or may have another brand name with the identifier “Fresh Creative Cuisine” on the bottom of the label, according to an announcement from the manufacturer, Fresh Ideation Food Group LLC.
The recalled products were sold from Jan. 24 through Jan. 30 and are marked with a "fresh through" or "sell through" date ranging from Jan. 31 through Feb. 6. In its announcement, the company said that recalled products were sold in “retail locations, vending machines and during travel with transportation providers.”
No other details were officially provided about the sale locations, but letters from Amtrak to recent travelers regarding the recall have been posted on social media and travel forums. The products were distributed in Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia.
Some of the labels on the recalled products included “Naval Academy 1845 Coffee” and “Westin Label.” Other package labels included “Quick & Fresh,” “Bistro to Go,” “Fresh Creative Cuisine White,” and “Orchard Bistro.”
“The recall was initiated after the company’s environmental samples tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes,” the announcement posted on the FDA website says. No illnesses have been reported so far.
Most symptoms from eating food contaminated with listeria appear within a few days and include fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, according to the FDA. But severe cases can cause confusion, loss of balance, or convulsions and require hospitalization. Newborns and elderly people are at higher risk of severe illness, as are pregnant women.
On its website, the Maryland-based company says it has U.S. Department of Agriculture, FDA, and U.S. military certifications and “the capacity to produce tens of thousands of freshly prepared menu items.”
Consumers who bought the products can call Fresh Ideation Food Group LLC at 855-969-3338 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.