Trader Joe's Organic Peas: Recall Over Contamination

In May 2016, Trader Joe's recalled hundreds of products, including organic peas, which may have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recall was issued after the frozen vegetable supplier CRF Frozen Foods alerted the grocery chain of potential contamination. The products in question had sell-by dates between April 26, 2016, and April 26, 2018, and the lot designation contained the code BF. Customers were advised not to consume the affected products and could return them to any Trader Joe's store for a full refund. This incident raises concerns about food safety and the potential health risks associated with Listeria contamination, particularly for vulnerable individuals.

Trader Joe's recalled organic peas from Austria due to possible Listeria contamination

Trader Joe's has recalled organic peas sourced from Austria due to possible contamination by Listeria monocytogenes, a harmful bacterium. The recall was part of a larger recall issued by CRF Frozen Foods, a frozen vegetable supplier to Trader Joe's, which affected hundreds of contaminated products. The recall included other Trader Joe's frozen vegetable products such as petite peas, organic whole green beans, organic broccoli florets, and organic foursome, all of which had the lot designation code "BF".

The recall was announced on May 4, 2016, after CRF Frozen Foods alerted Trader Joe's that some products could be contaminated by Listeria monocytogenes. The manufacturing process at the CRF Frozen Foods plant could have been contaminated as early as May 1, 2014. Products with sell-by dates between April 26, 2016, and April 26, 2018, were included in the recall.

Listeria monocytogenes can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems. While healthy individuals may experience only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, it can cause miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women.

In light of the recall, Trader Joe's removed all products from the supplier from its store shelves and urged customers who had purchased the affected vegetable products with the "BF" code not to consume them. Customers were advised to discard the products or return them to any Trader Joe's store for a full refund.

The recall served as a reminder for consumers to exercise caution when purchasing and consuming frozen vegetables, and to be vigilant about checking for recalls and product safety information.

The recall was initiated after CRF Frozen Foods alerted the grocery chain

In May 2016, Trader Joe's recalled hundreds of contaminated products, including organic peas from Austria. The recall was initiated after CRF Frozen Foods, a frozen vegetable supplier, alerted the grocery chain that some products could be contaminated by Listeria monocytogenes.

CRF Frozen Foods of Pasco, Washington, issued a voluntary recall of 358 frozen fruit and vegetable products sold under 42 separate brands, including Trader Joe's. The products may have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a harmful bacterium that can cause serious health risks, including severe headaches, miscarriages, and stillbirths. The CDC identified seven people in three states whose Listeria infection resulted in hospitalization, and two of those people died, although their causes of death were not linked to Listeria.

The Trader Joe's products that were recalled included Organic Peas, Petite Peas, Organic Whole Green Beans, Organic Broccoli Florettes, and Organic Foursome. These products were sold frozen and had "best by" or "sell by" dates between April 26, 2016, and April 26, 2018.

In response to the recall, Trader Joe's removed all affected products from its stores and urged customers who had purchased the contaminated vegetable products to discard them or return them to any Trader Joe's store for a full refund. The grocery chain emphasized that all products from the supplier in question had been taken off the shelves and that only those with the lot designation containing the code "BF" were subject to potential contamination.

The recall by Trader Joe's and CRF Frozen Foods highlights the importance of food safety and the swift actions taken by companies to protect consumers from potential health hazards. It serves as a reminder for consumers to be vigilant about checking product recalls and expiration dates to ensure the food they consume is safe.

Products with sell-by dates between April 26, 2016, and April 26, 2018, were recalled

In 2016, Trader Joe's recalled hundreds of contaminated products with sell-by dates between April 26, 2016, and April 26, 2018. The recall was due to potential contamination by Listeria monocytogenes, a harmful bacterium. The frozen vegetable supplier, CRF Frozen Foods, alerted the grocery chain that some products could be contaminated. The manufacturing process may have been contaminated as early as May 1, 2014.

The recall included products with the "BF" lot designation code, such as Trader Joe's Organic Peas, Petite Peas, Organic Whole Green Beans, Broccoli Florettes, and Organic Foursome. The recall affected 358 consumer products sold under 42 separate brands.

Listeria monocytogenes can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems. Healthy individuals may experience high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. It can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women.

The CDC identified seven people in three states who were hospitalized due to Listeria infections, two of whom died. However, their deaths were not attributed to Listeria.

Customers who purchased the affected vegetable products with the "BF" code were advised not to consume them and were offered a full refund or exchange at any Trader Joe's store. The company urged customers to discard the products or return them to the store.

Trader Joe's offered a full refund for recalled products

Trader Joe's has been linked to almost a dozen product recalls since July 2023. The retailer has dealt with recalls of its own products and those of other brands sold in its stores. In the case of recalled products, Trader Joe's typically offers customers a full refund.

In one instance, Trader Joe's recalled organic peas and other vegetables due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The recall included Trader Joe's Organic Peas, Petite Peas, Organic Whole Green Beans, Organic Broccoli Florets, and Organic Foursome with the lot code "BF". Customers were advised not to consume these products and could return them to any Trader Joe's store for a full refund.

In another instance, Trader Joe's recalled certain wraps, salads, and frozen foods due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The recall included products such as the Chicken Wrap with Pesto Vinaigrette, Harvest Salad with Grilled Chicken, and Tarragon Chicken Salad Wrap. Customers who had purchased these products were advised not to consume them and were offered a full refund upon returning the affected items to Trader Joe's stores.

In addition to recalls due to potential contamination, Trader Joe's has also issued recalls for other reasons. For example, in March 2024, the retailer pulled its Steamed Chicken Soup Dumplings due to the potential presence of plastic material. Similarly, in February 2024, the Chicken, Lentil & Caramelized Onion Pilaf was recalled due to the presence of "foreign matter". In both cases, customers were likely offered refunds for returning the affected products.

Overall, Trader Joe's has a track record of taking swift action to recall potentially unsafe products and offering full refunds to customers who return recalled items to their stores.

The recall affected other brands and products sold by CRF Frozen Foods

In May 2016, Trader Joe's recalled hundreds of contaminated products, including organic peas from Austria. The recall was issued in cooperation with CRF Frozen Foods, a frozen vegetable supplier, after discovering that some products could be contaminated by Listeria monocytogenes. The recall affected other brands and products sold by CRF Frozen Foods, with the company recalling all of its frozen organic and traditional fruit and vegetable products. This encompassed a massive 358 consumer products sold under 42 separate brands, including Columbia River Organics, Earth's Pride Organics, Pantry Essentials, and Safeway. The manufacturing process at the CRF Frozen Foods plant in Pasco, Washington, could have been contaminated since as early as May 1, 2014.

The recall included products with "best by" or "sell by" dates between April 26, 2016, and April 26, 2018. CRF Frozen Foods advised consumers to discard or return the affected products, which could be identified by the lot designation code "BF". The potentially contaminated products included Trader Joe's Organic Peas, Petite Peas, Organic Whole Green Beans, Organic Broccoli Florets, and Organic Foursome.

The recall was prompted by the discovery of Listeria monocytogenes contamination, which can cause serious health issues, especially for young children, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems. The CDC reported that seven people across three states had been hospitalized with Listeria infections, although the deaths of two individuals were not attributed to Listeria.

The recall by CRF Frozen Foods and Trader Joe's was part of a broader recall affecting over 300 frozen food products across various retailers, including Wal-Mart and Costco. The extensive list of recalled products highlighted the potential risks associated with food contamination and the far-reaching impact on consumers and retailers.

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