The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today (04/24/2015) that Inventure Food Inc. has issued a voluntary recall of its Fresh FrozenTM vegetables and Jamba® “at home” smoothie kits. This recall pertains to certain varieties of frozen vegetables and some specific “at home” Jamba smoothie kits only. The recall was initiated because of the detection of Listeria monocytogenes in Inventure Foods’ Jefferson, Arkansas facility during a routine check. 

According to the FDA website, there have been no Listeria monocytogenes detected in the recalled products and Inventure Foods initiated the recall/s “to err on the side of utmost caution.” No illnesses have been reported related to consumption of these products. 

The Fresh FrozenTM vegetables were distributed in the following states:

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin. 

The Jamba® “At Home” smoothie kits that are being recalled were distributed to retail outlets east of the Mississippi river. According to the FDA website, “The products affected have best by dates from 18 Mar 2016 through 17 Oct 2016 with code dates from 72644AH01 through 71075AH01.” 

For a complete list of products that are being recalled, please refer to http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm444311.htm?source=govdelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery  

The company has urged consumers who have purchased a recalled product not to consume it and to destroy the contents and its package. For questions and concerns, including refunds, please contact Inventure Foods at: 

Phone: (616) 233-0500
Toll-Free: 1 (866) 890-1004
Email: info@inventurefoods.com

Listeriosis: 

Listeriosis is a serious infection caused by consuming food contaminated with the bacterium, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that it is an important public health problem in the United States. Of the estimated 1600 people who get infected each year in the USA, death occurs in 260 cases. 

The population most at risk: 

• Elderly and frail adults (4 times more likely to get infected than the general population) 
  
• Newborns 
  
• Pregnant women 
  
• People with weakened immune systems 

The CDC states that in rare cases, persons without the above-mentioned risk factors could also get affected. 

and you have one or more of the following symptoms, consult a doctor immediately: 

• Severe Headache 
  
• Nausea 
  
• Abdominal pain 
  
• Diarrhea 
  
• High fever 
  
• Stiffness 
  
• Muscle aches 
  
• Fatigue 

Warning for pregnant women: 

• Pregnant women are ten times more likely to get infected with Listeria than the general population. The risk is even higher for pregnant Hispanic women, as they are 24 times more likely to get Listeria infection. 
  
• The symptoms are usually non-specific like fatigue, muscle aches, etc., although fever can also occur.  
  
• Listeria infection during pregnancy could potentially lead to miscarriage, pre-term labor, stillbirth, or serious infection in the newborn.  
  

If you are pregnant and think you might have been exposed to Listeria contaminated food, please consult your doctor immediately.  

Unlike most bacteria, Listeria can grow and multiply in some foods in the refrigerator. If you suspect contaminated food, please discard. 

Written by Mangala Sarkar Ph.D.

Primary reference:

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (n.d.). Retrieved April 24, 2015, from http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm444311.htm?source=govdelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Additional references:

(2015, March 16). Retrieved April 24, 2015, from http://www.cdc.gov/listeria/ 

Scallan, E., Hoekstra, R., Angulo, F., Tauxe, R., Widdowson, M., Roy, S., . . . Griffin, P. (2011). Foodborne Illness Acquired in the United States—Major Pathogens. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 17(1), 7-15. 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vital signs: listeria illnesses, deaths, and outbreaks - United States, 2009-2011. MMWR Morbidity and mortality weekly report. 2013, 62(22): 448-52. 

(2013, January 10). Retrieved April 24, 2015, from http://www.cdc.gov/listeria/sources.html