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This week, another Taylor Farms recall was announced by the Government of Canada. This recall is directed at packaged salad products for sale in Canada. So, what does it mean for us here in the United States.
It could mean nothing.
Or, it could mean we will have a similar announcement soon.
Let’s discuss this recall and what another Taylor Farms recall may mean for the United States.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency via Government of Canada issued an announcement for another Taylor Farms recall on December 3, 2024. This time for Taylor Farms Sweet Kale Chopped Kit with poppyseed dressing in 340-gram bags. The recall includes two lots: TFRC327BP06 and TFRC327BP04. Both lots have a printed “BEST BEFORE” dates of 2024 DE 06.
Recalls happen for a variety of reasons.
Some recalls are initiated due to undeclared allergens. Other times non-food items contaminate the product during the processing steps and a foreign object contamination risk prompts a recall. In this case, microbial contamination was the cause.
These lots of Taylor Farms Sweet Kale Chopped Kit salads with poppyseed dressing are being recalled due to the potential presence of the harmful pathogen, Salmonella.
These particular lots of recalled product were distributed to Canadian provinces.
These include:
Affected salad kits were distributed through Taylor Farms Canada and do not appear to impact the United States market.
Yet.
The Salmonella contamination was discovered through routine testing activities conducted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Positive test results for the presence of Salmonella bacteria triggered this recall.
According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, there have been “no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product.”
Hopefully this means that the problem was caught in time and removed from store shelves before anyone became sick.
Most Salmonella illnesses go unreported as those with a healthy immune system can often fight off the infection with only mild symptoms. In these cases, people do not seek medical treatment and are therefore never tested for Salmonella.
Additionally, laboratory testing and data compilation takes time. It can take several weeks for a sick person to be connected to a cluster of illnesses or outbreak.
Only time will tell if there are truly no illnesses associated with this recalled product due to Salmonella.
Earlier in the year (February 2024), two Taylor Farms recalls were initiated in Canada.
One involved a similarly discovered Salmonella microbial result though the Canadian Food Inspection Agency routine sampling activities.
The other was connected to a deadly Listeria monocytogenes outbreak in the United States associated with queso fresco and cotija cheese from the supplier Rizo-Lopez Foods, Inc. An outbreak responsible for 26 illnesses. Including 23 hospitalizations and two deaths.
This recall was for products distributed in Canada. So, what exactly does this mean for people in the United States?
As I said in the introduction, it could mean nothing. This Canadian recall could be due to microbial contamination that would only impact those products distributed to Canada. It is unclear what part of the Sweet Kale Chopped Kit packaged salad was potentially contaminated.
Was it the kale?
Was it the poppyseed salad dressing?
That information was not disclosed.
Were either of those potentially responsible ingredients ALSO distributed to the United States? Or was it exclusive to the Canadian market?
That information was also not disclosed.
We are left guessing for now until an announcement by our own Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is made.
Salmonella is a teeny tiny germ that is way too small to see with just your eyes. It takes a good microscope to make out the bacteria with your eyes. But most detection is done by complex laboratory tests looking for specific genetic marker that tell scientists “I’m Salmonella!”
Food contaminated by Salmonella bacteria can look, smell, or even taste normal. This type of microbial contamination does not necessarily make a food product, even leafy greens, look spoiled.
There is really no way to know if your food is contaminated with Salmonella. This is why keeping up with food recalls is so important.
Certain groups of people have conditions or susceptibilities that make them more likely to become sick if exposed and experience more severe symptoms if infected.
People who are more likely to get sick if exposed include:
Those more likely to experience severe symptoms if infected include:
Most people with Salmonella illness do not need medical intervention and are not prescribed antibiotic treatment. However, those in the higher risk group are more likely to receive treatment to reduce the risk of severe illness.
Most people begin to feel sick between six hours and six days after consuming something contaminated with Salmonella bacteria.
These symptoms usually involve diarrhea, stomach cramps, and fever.
While severity of infection and length of illness can vary from person to person, most people experience mild illness that passes fairly quickly. Most people feel better within about a week (four to seven days). Unfortunately, some people may experience more severe illness or complications that can last for weeks or even months.
Talk to your healthcare provider if you believe you have symptoms consistent with Salmonella infection.
If you have become sick after eating Taylor Farms products, it is a good idea to get advice from an experienced Salmonella lawyer.
The Lange Law Firm, PLLC has successfully represented families in foodborne illness cases and can help you through this difficult process.
Call (833) 330-3663 or send an email here for a free, no obligation consultation to get the answers you deserve.
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)
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