A California produce company has continued to recall a celery product that has caused an Ecoli breakout in at least a dozen states across the country.
The Food and Drug Administration continues to recall celery after a small Ecoli breakout has affected people in at least a dozen states. The FDA made the announcement on Wednesday after an initial breakout at Costco has now begun to spread. It has also affected over 150,000 products produced around the nation and sold everywhere from Walmart to Safeway to Starbucks.
The recall was begun by the California producer who has grown the celery. Earlier last week, Taylor Farms Pacific, Inc. of Tracy, California had started a recall of one of their celery products. The product was a diced onion and celery mixture that the company sells to Costco, according to ABC News. The mix is used by Costco in the preparation of its chicken salad and other similar products containing celery.
The FDA continues the recall because it wants to err on the side of safety. The companies affected, beside Costco, are Safeway, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Albertson’s, Target, and 7-Eleven. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta has reported that 19 people have become sickened by eating the product and it has affected people of any age.
The FDA and other health authorities are urging people to discard any chicken salad they may have bought at a Costco on or before Nov. 20. The FDA expanded their recall action to 16 states and is including over a dozen retail companies most of which are national companies with many outlets around the country.
The celery and onion mix has been used in everything from sandwiches and wraps to stuffing and cornbread. The products are being sold at such chains and retail outlets as Starbucks, Vons and Riley’s as well as in addition to the major franchises. Starbucks had already stopped selling its chicken salad sandwiches.
The CDC has reported that at least two people have suffered from kidney failure. According to the Centers for Disease Control, over 48 million people get sick from food they eat every year. That is one out of every six Americans.