Dole salads have been recalled in 10 states due to a possible listeria risk

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Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc. is voluntarily recalling a limited number of cases of garden salad due to a possible health risk from Listeria monocytogenes. The salad was sold in stores across 10 states nationwide. / U.S. Food & Drug Administration

Dole Fresh Vegetables is recalling bags of garden salad that were sold in 10 states due to a sample that tested positive for listeria monocytogenes, an organism that can cause serious and possible deadly infections, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

The company recalled four different salad varities: the 24-ounce Dole Garden Salad, 24-ounce Marketside Classic Salad, 12-ounce Kroger Brand Garden Salad and the 12-ounce Salad Classics Garden Salad.

FDA officials have reported no illnesses associated with the recalled salads, which were sold across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia.

The agency says the recall was issued after a single sample of garden salad tested positive for listeria monocytogenes in a random sample test conducted by the Department of Agriculture.

Listeriosis is a serious infection that is caused by eating food contaminated with the bacteria listeria monocytogenes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The organism can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections among young children, elderly people and those with weakened immune systems.

People who consume the bacteria may experience short-term symptoms, including high fever severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.

The FDA says a listeria infection can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

The salad is beyond its Oct. 25 "best-if-used-by" date and should no longer be on shelves in stores, FDA officials said. However, consumers should still check for the recalled salads and throw out the packages with the specific lot and UPC codes provided by the FDA. The lot code can be found on the upper right corner of the bag; the UPC code is listed on the bottom left corner of the back of the bag.

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