With Super Bowl Sunday fast approaching, a number of foods that may be a snack of choice have been recalled in Canada this week.
Some are linked to a deadly Listeria outbreak in the U.S.
On Friday, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) recalled Fresh Express brand Salsa! Ensalada Salad Kit due to possible Listeria contamination. The product was sold in Alberta and B.C., with best-before dates from Jan. 8, 2024, up to and including Feb. 22, 2024.
On Thursday, CFIA recalled Rojo’s brand black bean six-layer dip due to possible Listeria contamination. It was distributed to Ontario, Newfoundland, New Brunswick and Quebec.
On Wednesday, a recall notice was issued for President’s Choice brand and Taylor Farms brand Mexican-Style Street Corn Salad Kits sold nationally with best-before dates up to and including Feb. 19, 2024.
A Southwest Potato, Black Bean, & Egg Wrap product was also recalled that was sold nationally in hotels, restaurants and institutions.
On Tuesday, Bauman’s Country Meat Shop brand Summer Sausages were recalled due to possible Listeria contamination, which were sold at Bauman’s Country Meat Shop in Dobbinton, Ont.
Some of the products recalled feature cheese from Rizo-López Foods, Inc., the company behind the outbreak of Listeria in the U.S. that has spanned multiple states and dates back to 2014.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) investigated the outbreak in 2017 and 2021 and identified some cheeses as the source of the outbreak but there wasn’t enough information to target a specific brand, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
However, it was narrowed down to Rizo-López Foods in January 2024 after new illnesses were reported in December and the FDA found traces of Listeria in a sample collected from the company’s factory in Modesto, Calif.
On Monday, Rizo-López recalled over 60 dairy products in the U.S., including soft cheeses, yogurts and sour cream sold under the brands Tio Francisco, Don Francisco, Rizo Bros, Rio Grande, Food City, El Huache, La Ordena, San Carlos, Campesino, Santa Maria, Dos Ranchitos, Casa Cardenas, and 365 Whole Foods Market.
It has since expanded its recall to include seven-layer bean dip, chicken enchiladas, cilantro salad dressing and taco kits — all popular foods to eat while watching the Superbowl scheduled this Sunday between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers.
Canada has not reported any illnesses from its recalled products, but the U.S. has had 26 cases of illness, including 23 hospitalizations and two deaths.
Other foods in Canada recalled this week but not related to Listeria include Pinty’s brand Fully Cooked Crispy Chicken Breasts sold in Ontario and Quebec, which was recalled due to pieces of metal.
An OGGI brand Americana Pizza made with Beyond Meat that was sold in Alberta, Nova Scotia and Ontario was recalled due to undeclared milk.
Listeria is a bacteria that can act as a parasite in its host and can cause listeriosis. Symptoms start within two weeks of eating the contaminated food and include fever, muscle aches, nausea, tiredness, vomiting and diarrhea, according to the FDA.
More serious symptoms can include convulsions, confusion and loss of balance.
Listeria can live in a food plant for several years.
“(It is the) permanent colonizer or resident in the food plant,” University of Guelph food professor Jeff Farber told Global News in 2021. At least 21 products were recalled that year due to Listeria concerns.
Because the bacteria can establish itself inside the environment of the plant, it is very difficult for the food industry to get rid of it, Farber explained.
Food contaminated with Listeria may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
The agency says to not eat any of the recalled products and that it is conducting a food safety investigation, which may lead to more recalls. Recalls are initially voluntary by the industry but can become mandatory.
— with files from Global News’ Saba Aziz.