Sandwiches and fruit cups sold on Amtrak are being recalled due to Listeria risk
A Baltimore-based company has recalled more than 400 foods sold on Amtrak trains, vending machines and stores on the East Coast because of possible Listeria contamination, the Food and Drug Administration said last week with.
The company Fresh Ideation Food Group recalled breakfast sandwiches, muffins, yogurt, fresh produce and other items sold Jan. 24-30 “because the products have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria bacteria,” the company said FDA on Friday with .
Listeria causes a disease that can be fatal, particularly in children, older adults, and those with compromised immune systems, and an infection that can also cause miscarriage and stillbirth.
The recall applies to products with an expiration date of January 31 through February 6. The affected products were distributed in Connecticut, District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia.
“During routine monitoring of our facility, we have determined that Listeria may be present at the facility,” the company said in a pre-recorded statement. “As a precaution, we have recalled all products manufactured at the time of this determination.”
The FDA said on Monday that no illnesses had been reported. Consumers who have purchased any of the items are encouraged to contact Fresh Ideation.
A company spokesman did not immediately respond to messages asking for more information.
In an email to customers, Amtrak said some of the recalled products were sold on two of its busiest train lines, the Acela and Northeast Regional trains, between Jan. 24 and Jan. 29.
“We immediately stopped selling these products and promptly removed them from our trains upon notification,” the company said, adding that “all products currently served on board are perfectly safe to consume.”
Symptoms of listeria include fever, muscle pain, vomiting, and diarrhea, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms generally begin about two weeks after ingesting bacteria-laced foods.
In the United States, previous Listeria outbreaks have been linked to undercooked poultry, raw vegetables, and unpasteurized milk and ice cream, the FDA said.
Big Olaf Creamery, a family-owned company in Sarasota, Fla., recalled its ice cream amid an FDA investigation last summer into an outbreak that killed at least one person and sickened two dozen others.
At least one person died and 13 others were hospitalized during a Listeria outbreak last fall that federal officials linked to sausages and cheese. Among those who fell ill during the outbreak was a pregnant person who lost the pregnancy, the FDA said.
Pregnant women are 10 times more likely to become infected than other people, according to the CDC
According to the CDC, about 1,600 people get listeriosis each year in the United States, and about one in five people with the infection die.
