Are you a buyer of pre-mixed, pre-washed bagged salad living in the Northeast or Midwest? You'd better go check your fridge. Because on Wednesday, produce giant  Dole issued a recall on its American Blend bagged salad in 10 states in those two regions, after the Tennessee Department of Health found listeria bacteria in one sample.

According to Food Safety News , the recall applies to "12 oz. bags coded A275208A or B, with a use-by date of October 17 and UPC 7143000933," which were distributed in "Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Wisconsin."

So far, no actual illnesses have been linked to this lettuce. But if you think you may eaten Dole American Blend in any of those 10 states, and you're exhibiting any of the classic  symptoms of listeriosis -- fever, muscle aches, nausea, diarrhea -- it would probably be wise to see a doctor.

If nothing else, the recall underscores the risk posed by bagged salad. In 2012 alone, there have been at least three other major  recalls of bagged salad , two of them by Dole itself . They are considered  one of the products most likely to cause food-related illness -- largely because greens are grown directly in the soil, and some pathogens can only be killed by heat or strong detergents, not just water.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/18/bagg...80310.html

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Certificate of Performance Tested SM

Status

Certificate No.

060901

The AOAC Research Institute hereby certifies that the performance of the test kit designated as:

MIT 1000 Rapid Microbial Identification System

manufactured by

Micro Imaging Technology, Inc.

970 Calle Amanecer, Ste. F

San Clemente, CA 92673

has been reviewed under the AOAC Research Institute's Performance Tested Methods

SM

Program, and found to perform as stated by

the manufacturer contingent to the comments contained in the Certification Report.  This certificate authorizes the manufacturer to

display the AOAC Performance Tested

SM

certification mark along with the statement  - "THIS TEST KIT'S PERFORMANCE WAS

REVIEWED BY AOAC RESEARCH INSTITUTE AND WAS FOUND TO PERFORM TO THE MANUFACTURER'S

SPECIFICATIONS" - on the above mentioned test kit for a period of one year from the date of this certificate (February 10, 2012 –

December 31, 2012).  Renewal may be granted at the end of one year under the rules stated in the licensing agreement.

Signed for AOAC Research Institute:

Deborah McKenzie

Managing Director                      Date: February 10, 2012

http://www.micro-imaging.com/pdf/Tri-fold%20Flyer.pdf

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