Dole Fresh Vegetables Announces Voluntary Recall of Dole Packaged Salads

Dole Fresh Vegetables, a division of Dole Food Company, announced Oct. 1 that it is cooperating with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Minnesota and California state departments of health regarding an investigation of an outbreak of E. coli 0157:H7 between Sept. 13 and Sept. 19 in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area of Minnesota.

The three varieties in question are Classic Romaine, American Blend and Greener Selection, all with a “best if used by” date of Sept. 23, 2005, and a production code beginning “B250” stamped on the package. The best-if-used-by code date can be located in the upper right hand corner of the front of the bag.

No other Dole salad products are involved.

“Our overriding concern is for consumer safety,” said Eric Schwartz, president of Dole Fresh Vegetables. “We are working with the U.S. FDA, the Minnesota Department of Health and the California Department of Health Services to determine the source of the contamination.”

Consumers who still have any of these packaged salads with a “best-if-used-by date” of Sept. 23 and a production code beginning with “B250” should dispose of the product. Consumers are reminded that products should not be consumed after the “best-if-used-by” date.

Dole Food Company, with 2004 revenues of $5.3 billion, is the world’s largest producer and marketer of high-quality fresh fruit, fresh vegetables and fresh-cut flowers. Dole markets a growing line of packaged and frozen foods and is a produce industry leader in nutrition education and research.