Popeye’s favorite vegetable has a label that you should read before you put bright snacks like Creamy Spinach-Ricotta Crostini or Warm Spinach-Sweet Onion Dip with Country Ham on your holiday table.
The Florida Department of Agriculture did a routine check and found listeria in a randomly chosen bag of Fresh Express spinach. As a result, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a recall for seven Southern states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
Eight-ounce bags of Fresh Express Spinach and nine-ounce bags of Publix Spinach are both being recalled because they might be contaminated with listeria, a bacteria that can cause dangerous and sometimes fatal infections. The bags were taken off the shelves as soon as the contamination was discovered. As of now, there have been no reports of sickness or hospitalizations linked to this recall.
Pay attention to the following mix of UPC codes, bag codes, and use-by dates:
This is 8 ounces of Fresh Express Spinach with the UPC code 071279132044, the bag code G332, and a use-by date of December 15, 2023. It is sent to AL, FL, GA, NC, and VA.
This is Publix Spinach (9 oz.) with the UPC code 041415008861, the bag code G332, and a use-by date of December 14, 2023. It is sold in AL, FL, GA, NC, SC, TN, and VA.
If you have any of the contaminated spinach in your fridge or freezer, the FDA says you should throw it away right away or return it to where you bought it to get your money back. Customers can also call the Fresh Express Consumer Response Center at (800) 242-5472 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST to get a refund or find out more about the recall. There are no changes to any other Fresh Express items right now.
For recipes like Easy Creamed Spinach, Spinach Madeline, and Buttermilk Alfredo Chicken Spinach Pasta, try using leftover spinach that has been well drained instead of fresh spinach this holiday season to avoid getting listeria.