Fresh greens recall expanded over salmonella fears

WASHINGTON

J & D Produce Inc., an Edinburg, Texas, firm, is expanding its recall of certain Little Bear brand fresh greens in the United States and Canada because they may be contaminated with Salmonella, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Dec. 29.

The original Dec. 28 recall involved nearly 7,000 cases of cilantro and curly parsley after samples in Quebec and Michigan tested positive for the bacteria. The fresh greens were sold in bunches tied with a Little Bear band. The products were shipped to between Nov. 30 and Dec. 7, 2010, and distributed to retail outlets.

The company today recalled additional produce commodities in Canada and the United States due to the possibility of cross contamination from having been run on the same packing lines as the curly parsley and cilantro.

The expanded recall involves curley parsley, cilantro, arugula, beets, collards, curly mustard, diakon, dill, golden beets, green kohlrabi, green swiss chard, kale, leek, methileaf, mint, parsley, rainbow chard, red swiss chard, Texas mustard, turnips with tops, and turnip tops.

All commodities have pack dates" of Nov. 30, 2010, or Dec. 6, 2010, and are packed in red, white, and blue waxed cartons under the Little Bear brand. The individual bunches are banded, except for Diakon, using a rubber band or a twist tie identified by a flag tag that shows a little bear with a cowboy hat, a red handkerchief and a Texas flag.

Click here to view the entire recall along with a listed of distribution areas.