Salad Recall Sparks Warning in Two States

Pre-packaged salads are pictured in this undated file photo. The FDA on Friday shared a recall announcement for "Heinen’s Tuscan Salad Bowls" sold in Ohio and Illinois due to the potential undeclared presence of pecans.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers in two states of a potential undeclared ingredient in prepackaged salads that could trigger serious allergic reactions.

A voluntary recall announcement shared to the FDA website on Friday warns that some "Tuscan Salad Bowls" produced by Heinen's of Warrensville Heights, Ohio, include labeling that fails to mention that the product may contain pecans. The salads were distributed to Heinen's retail locations in Ohio and Illinois.

The affected salad packages, of varying weight, all have a UPC code of "2-08888- 40849-3" and a "sell by date" of "06.02.24." The company said that the recall was initiated "after it was discovered that product containing Pecans was distributed in Tuscan Salad Bowls that did not reveal the presence of additional allergens."

While no related adverse reactions had been reported at the time of publication, the recall announcement asks those with "an allergy or severe sensitivity to Pecans" to avoid eating the salad and to instead discard or return the product.

The recall was originally announced by Heinen's on May 30. It was unclear why the announcement was not shared by the FDA until Friday, 12 days after the salad's expiration date.

Newsweek reached out for comment to the FDA via email on Friday night.

Customers with additional questions for Heinen's can call the company at 1-855-475-2300, extension 2337, or send an email to [email protected].

Although the inclusion of an ingredient like pecans may be of little concern to the health of most consumers, it could spark the potentially fatal condition of anaphylaxis in those with a related allergy.

Last year, Connecticut-based supermarket chain Stew Leonard's recalled packages of its Florentine cookies following the allergy-induced death of a woman who ate the cookies without realizing that they contained peanuts.

"This is a heartbreaking tragedy that should never have happened," Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli said in a statement at the time. "Our condolences go out to the family affected by this incident."

A public health alert for a similar issue to the Heinen's recall was shared to the website of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) on Monday.

Consumers of Ready Pac "Bistro Grande Southwestern Style" bowls sold in California and Nevada were warned that some of the packages were mislabeled and actually consisted of chicken Caesar salad—a product that contains wheat and anchovies, both potential allergens.

FSIS said that the affected salad bowls were not being recalled from stores because they were no longer being sold, although some consumers could still have the product at home.

"FSIS is issuing this public health alert to ensure that consumers with allergies to wheat and fish are aware that this product should not be consumed," the alert states. "FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers' refrigerators."

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