South Carolina Lawyer Blog
A random test found salmonella in bagged salads sold in South Carolina. The company responsible, Taylor Farms Retail, Inc, is recalling 3,265 affected bags marketed under the brands Fresh Selections, HEB, Marketside, and Taylor Farms.
If you have a bagged salad under any of those brands with a sell-by date of Oct. 18 to 21, throw it away or return it to your supermarket.
The salmonella was found by Washington State’s Department of Agriculture. Washington conducts tests on produce and other products sold in within its state no matter the origin. In this case, Taylor Farms Retail is based out of California and has also sold salad products in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Puerto Rico.
Salmonella poisoning can cause diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps within one to three days of infection. Salmonella can be destroyed by freezing, ultraviolet radiation and heat of 140*F for half an hour. None of these steps are typically taken with salads, making them especially prone to causing infections in humans.
Salmonella is usually found in polluted water, especially water that contains animal excrement from farm animals, birds or reptiles. In the past, watering plants destined for bagged salads with contaminated water has resulted in infections and large recalls. Salmonella can also be transmitted by humans with unwashed hands.
In the US, about 40,000 people annually report salmonella infections, but infection rates are thought to be as much as 30 times greater. The infection is not considered dangerous except for young children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. Between 1990 and 2006, a six-year span, there were 1,316 Salmonella-related deaths.
For more information about the bagged salad recall, call 1-877-323-7374.