What to Know About the Sushi Recall Affecting Trader Joe’s, ...

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major recall of sushi has been ordered. Getty Images

Ready-to-eat sushi, salads, and spring rolls sold at major retailers in the United States are being recalled due to possible listeria contamination.
Listeria monocytogenes is the reason for the recall. It is a species of bacteria that can cause disease.
People who eat food contaminated with this bacteria can develop an illness called listeriosis.

Fuji Food Products Inc. is voluntarily recalling ready-to-eat sushi, salads, and spring rolls sold at major retailers in the United States due to possible listeria contamination, the company announced in a statementTrusted Source posted on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website.

Products included in the recall were sold or distributed in 31 states and Washington D.C. Retailers include Food Lion, Giant Eagle Supermarkets, Hannaford, Trader Joe’s, and 7-Eleven.

The problem was discovered in Fuji’s Massachusetts facility during a routine FDA inspection. The company has stopped production and distribution of products from this facility pending the outcome of an investigation.

“As responsible processors of safe, fresh food for nearly 30 years, we are addressing this problem vigorously, and we apologize to those who are affected by it,” said Fuji Food Products CEO Farrell Hirsch in the statementTrusted Source.

The complete recall details are listed below.

Symptoms of listeriosis

Listeria monocytogenesTrusted Source is a species of bacteria that can cause disease. People who eat food contaminated with this bacteria can develop an illness called listeriosis.

Symptoms of listeriosis can last from days to weeks. They include fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

More severe symptoms include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions.

Dr. Bruce Lee, a professor of health policy and management at the City University of New York, said contamination of food with listeria is very concerning.

“Listeria can cause diarrhea and fever, but if it invades the bloodstream or the central nervous system, it can be life threatening,” said Lee. “About 20 to 30 percent of those with central nervous system infection end up dying.”

Some people have a greater risk of complications from listeriosis.

“We worry about [listeriosis] in anybody, but especially very young children, the elderly, and people who are on medications that alter their immune system — they are much more susceptible to it,” said Bruce Ruck,PharmD, managing director of the NJ Poison Control Center in Newark.

Also, “in pregnant women, listeria infection can lead to miscarriages, premature deliveries, stillbirths, and infections in the newborn,” said Lee.

What steps to take

Lee advises people who have purchased a product included in the recall to dispose of it properly.

“That means wrap it so that it doesn’t touch anything that you might put near your mouth,” said Lee.

Consumers can also return the product to the original retailer for a refund.

Under no circumstances should people eat a product that has been recalled.

“You can’t tell if a product has listeria in it,” said Lee. “Even if the product looks and smells fine, that doesn’t mean that it is okay to eat.”

But, “if you’ve already eaten one of these products or suspect you’ve eaten one, there’s nothing to really do except keep an eye on yourself for symptoms,” said Ruck.

The symptoms of listeriosis are similar to those for other gastrointestinal illnesses. But how severe the symptoms are and how long they last can provide a clue as to what to do next.

“If these symptoms last for more than 24 to 48 hours or are severe enough to cause dehydration or problems functioning, call your doctor,” said Lee.

However, if you know you’ve eaten a product included in the recall and have any symptoms, “contact your doctor regardless of the severity and duration of symptoms,” said Lee.

Also, if you are pregnant and develop any symptoms, check with your doctor.

And if you develop severe symptoms such as a headache or stiff neck, call your doctor immediately.

Complete recall details

The recalled products are packed in plastic trays with clear lids. The sell-by dates are included on the labels.

Anyone with questions can call the customer service line at (888) 667-1504.

You can also contact your local poison control center at (800) 222-1222 or online.

Products included in the recall were sold and and/or distributed in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington D.C., West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Following is a complete list of the affected products and their UPC code and sell-by dates:

7-32869-28101-5, Okami 8-piece California Roll, 11/22/2019-12/06/2019
7-32869-28102-2, Okami 8-piece Spicy California Roll, 11/22/2019-12/06/2019
7-32869-28103-9, Okami 8-piece Supreme California Roll, 11/22/2019-12/06/2019
7-32869-28104-6, Okami 8-piece Spicy Supreme California Roll, 11/22/2019-12/06/2019
7-32869-28105-3, Okami 8-piece Classic California Roll with SO, 11/22/2019-12/06/2019
7-32869-28111-4, Okami 8-piece Supreme Combo, 11/22/2019-12/06/2019
7-32869-28112-1, Okami 8-piece Supreme Sampler, 11/22/2019-12/06/2019
7-32869-28122-0, Okami 8-piece Brown Rice Classic California Roll, 11/22/2019-12/06/2019
7-32869-28200-5, Okami 25-piece Sushi Platter, 11/22/2019-12/06/2019
7-32869-28201-2, Okami 6-piece Sushi Platter, 11/22/2019-12/06/2019
7-32869-28262-3, Okami 8-piece Seafood Combo, 11/22/2019-12/06/2019
7-32869-28114-5, Okami 6-piece Tempura Shrimp Roll, 11/22/2019-12/06/2019
7-32869-28113-8, Okami 8-piece Salmon Philly Roll, 11/22/2019-12/06/2019
603751, Trader Joe’s Smoked Salmon Poke Bowl, 11/20/2019-12/04/2019
614719, Trader Joe’s Banh Mi Style Salad, 11/19/2019-12/03/2019
908795, Trader Joe’s Shrimp Spring Rolls 7-ounce, 11/18/2019-12/02/2019
921510, Trader Joe’s Tofu Spring Rolls 7-ounce, 11/18/2019-12/02/2019
646574, Trader Joe’s Queso Fundido 16-ounce, 12/10/2019-12/24/2019
348966, Trader Joe’s 8-piece Spicy Cal Roll 8-ounce, 11/22/2019-12/06/2019
348997, Trader Joe’s 8-piece California Roll 8-ounce, 11/22/2019-12/06/2019
513289, Trader Joe’s 8-piece Tempura Shrimp Crunch Rolls 8.5-ounce, 11/22/2019-12/06/2019
603775, Trader Joe’s 8-piece Smoked Salmon Philly Roll, 11/20/2019-12/04/2019
909822, Trader Joe’s 8-piece Brown Rice California Roll 8-ounce, 11/22/2019-12/06/2019