Massive frozen foods recall expanded to hundreds of products in all 50 states

You might have already heard about the recent frozen foods recall involving about a dozen or so products and affecting retailers such as Costco, Kroger and Trader Joe’s. This recall by food processing plant CRF Frozen Foods was due to possible listeria contamination. 

But now, the recall has been expanded to over 350 frozen food products under 42 different brand names, sold in all 50 states and Canada. 

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CRF frozen foods recall

According to the FDA, listeria is an organism ‘that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.’ Even healthy people can suffer short -term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Among pregnant women, listeria can cause miscarriages and stillbirths.

The CDC notified the company that 7 people from three states have been hospitalized due to listeria, and two of those hospitalized later died.

Though the recall originally began around April 23, it has now been expanded to include brand names such as Earth’s Pride, Panda Express, Signature Kitchens and Trader Joe’s. The effects of the listeria contamination were thought to be suppressed initially because as foods were cooked, the harmful bacteria was killed. 

According to the New York Times, Gene Grabowski, a spokesman for the company, did not respond to a phone call on Friday, but he had told The Associated Press that the CRF plant closed two weeks ago in an effort to try to identify the source of the contamination.

A report from an inspection done in March revealed several health code violations. ‘The materials and workmanship of equipment and utensils does not allow proper cleaning and maintenance,’ it said.

To check the full list of recalled products, click here. 

Read more: Meat, poultry products now part of massive recall over listeria risk