On December 22, 2021, Dole voluntarily recalled all products and brands from their Bessemer City, NC, and Yuma, AZ, facilities. CDC reopened the investigation in November 2021 after reports of new illnesses.įDA sent investigators to multiple Dole processing facilities to conduct on-site inspections while at the same time Dole initiated their own investigation. CDC investigated this outbreak in 20 but was unable to gather enough data to identify the source in the past. Illnesses started on dates ranging from August 16, 2014, to Decem(one case occurred in 2014 and the remaining cases occurred between 20). According to the CDC, as of February 1, 2022, 17 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes have been reported from 13 states. The FDA, along with CDC and state and local partners, is investigating a multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections linked to Dole packaged leafy greens by epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback data. Food Safety Tips for Retailers and Consumers During an Outbreak.Listeria can survive in refrigerated temperatures and can easily spread to other foods and surfaces. In general, FDA recommends that anyone who received recalled products 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. Therefore, there are no specific recommendations for consumers, retailers, or suppliers. The product is past expiration and is no longer available to consumers. On April 4, 2022, CDC announced this outbreak is over. FDA plans to continue to work with industry, federal partners, state and local regulators, academia, and others to address the safety of leafy greens by advancing work in prevention, response, and addressing knowledge gaps. Dole cooperated with FDA inspectors, undertook a root cause analysis, and shared results of its root cause analysis with FDA. Product on hold that was included in the December 2021 recall was later tested by Dole and tested positive for the strain of Listeria monocytogenes that caused illnesses in this outbreak.ĭuring the investigation, operations at the Bessemer City, NC, and Yuma, AZ, facilities were temporarily halted for deep cleaning, sanitization, and verification swabbing, and have since resumed.Įpidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback data indicated that leafy greens produced by Dole were the source of this multistate outbreak. Dole decommissioned the harvester and it was later dismantled. Results from FDA’s Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) analysis showed that the strain of Listeria found on the harvesting equipment matched the strain causing illnesses in this outbreak. This finding prompted a subsequent voluntary recall on January 7, 2022.įDA analyzed the positive samples collected by Dole from the harvesting equipment. Dole decommissioned and later dismantled this piece of equipment.Īs reported on February 1, 2022, following the initial voluntary recall issued by Dole on December 22, 2021, Dole detected the presence of Listeria monocytogenes on equipment used in the harvesting of the iceberg lettuce that was also used in finished products processed in the Dole Springfield, OH, and Soledad, CA, facilities. FDA conducted WGS analysis of an isolate shared by Dole, and the results confirmed that this isolate of Listeria matched the strain causing illness in this outbreak and also matched the strain of Listeria found in a positive product sample collected by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, as reported on December 23, 2021. Continued investigation conducted by Dole detected the presence of Listeria on a piece of equipment in their Yuma, AZ, facility. According to the CDC, as of April 4, 2022, this outbreak has ended.įDA sent investigators to multiple Dole processing facilities to conduct on-site inspections and Dole conducted a root cause analysis of their own in an effort to determine the potential source of contamination for this outbreak. A total of 18 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes were reported from 13 states. The FDA, along with CDC and state and local partners, investigated a multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections linked to Dole packaged leafy greens.
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