Dole salad recall: 1 dead, 12 hospitalized after listeria outbreak

Dole Fresh Vegetables has withdrawn its products from the market after a listeria outbreak was traced back to them

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Dole Fresh Vegetables has withdrawn its products from the market after a listeria outbreak was traced back to them.
Four people in New York state are among the 12 that were hospitalized, since July 2015. A person died in Michigan, one of the six states where people became ill.

The Centers for Disease Control reports that operations have been suspended at the company's Springfield, Ohio production facility where the Dole-branded and private label packaged salads were processed.
These packaged salads were sold under various brand names, including Dole, Fresh Selections, Simple Truth, Marketside, The Little Salad Bar, and President's Choice. The packaged salads can be identified by the letter "A" at the beginning of the manufacturing code found on the package.
Listeriosis is a type of food poisoning that is life-threatening. CDC estimates that listeria puts 1,600 people into the hospital each year and kills 260 of them.
The Center for Disease Control provides these guidelines if you have purchased one of these Dole brand packaged salads:

• Throw the packaged salad away in a closed plastic bag placed in a sealed trash can. This will prevent people and animals from eating it.
• Wash the refrigerator drawer and other areas where the packaged salads were stored with hot water and soap.
• Wash cutting boards, surfaces, and utensils used to serve or store packaged salads. If possible, use a dishwasher; otherwise, use hot water and soap, followed by sanitizing with a solution of one tablespoon chlorine bleach added to one gallon of hot water.
• Wash your hands with warm water and soap after cleaning up.

People most at risk are those over the age of 50, pregnant women and those with a compromised immune system.
Symptoms include include fever, muscle aches, and sometimes nausea or diarrhea, according to WebMD.
If infection spreads to the nervous system, symptoms such as headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or convulsions can occur. Infected pregnant women may experience only a mild, flu-like illness; however, the fetus may also be affected.
It is possible to eat food with listeria and not contract the disease.
However, if you have eaten one of these products and experience symptoms, you should seek medical attention. Usually symptoms start within a few days.