Trader Joe’s and Green Giant Veggies Are Being Recalled Because Of A Listeria Risk

Before preparing your veggies for summertime celebrations in your kitchen this week, make sure you aren’t using recalled packages sold under the Green Giant, Trader Joe’s and Signature Farms brands.

Some packages of butternut squash, cauliflower, zucchini and vegetable bowls are part of the voluntary recall due to concerns regarding possible bacterial contamination.

Officials are concerned about Listeria monocytogenes, though there haven’t been any reported illnesses yet. The Food and Drug Administration issued a statement Monday saying the products have been recalled by manufacturer Growers Express. The packaged veggies were produced at a Biddeford, Maine factory and went out across the U.S. but primarily in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Maine.

Affected items include:

• Green Giant fresh butternut squash cubes
• Green Giant fresh butternut squash noodles
• Green Giant fresh butternut squash diced
• Green Giant fresh cauliflower Crumbles fried rice blend
• Green Giant fresh ramen soup bowl
• Green Giant fresh sweet potato cauliflower crumbles
• Green Giant fresh zucchini noodles
• Signature Farms cauliflower crumbles
• Trader Joe’s butternut squash spirals
• Trader Joe’s zucchini spirals

No Green Giant frozen or canned vegetables are recalled, according to the FDA. People who have potentially purchased the contaminated products should look for “best if used by” dates of June 26-29, 2019, on the packaging.

If you think you might have a bag of the recalled vegetables in your refrigerator, check the FDA’s list of stores and states that are affected and check the SKU, UPC and lot numbers on your bag. You can also see more pictures of the packaging on Growers Express’ recall info page.

Listeria contamination can be deadly. “Listeria is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems,” the FDA’s announcement reads.

People affected by symptoms caused by Listeria will possibly have a high fever, severe headaches, pain in the abdomen, nausea and diarrhea. The infection is particularly dangerous for women who are pregnant, because it can cause miscarriage or pre-term labor.

If you have one of the products listed in the recall in your home but can’t see the “best if used by” date, the FDA encourages you to throw away the item.

Growers Express says it is sanitizing the factory and equipment where the potentially affected vegetable products were produced.