Recalls issued over listeria linked to frozen spinach

  • By Kristin J. Bender Associated Press
  • Tuesday, March 24, 2015 1:40pm
  • Business

SAN FRANCISCO — Three organic food companies that use spinach in their food have recalled hundreds of thousands of items over listeria concerns.

Organic food company Amy’s Kitchen has voluntarily recalled about 74,000 cases of frozen and prepackaged products containing spinach.

It comes after one of Amy’s suppliers issued a recall notice saying the Petaluma-based company may have received organic spinach possibly tainted with the bacteria that causes listeria.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials are aware of the recall.

The disease can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women

The company reports it has not had any complaints of illnesses from the products being recalled in the United States and Canada.

The recalled items include vegetable lasagna, tofu vegetable lasagna, garden vegetable lasagna, tofu scramble, enchilada verde meal, spinach pizza, brown rice and vegetables owl, stuffed pasta shells bowl, gluten-free tofu scramble and the breakfast wrap.

Rochester-based Wegmans Food Markets is recalling roughly 12,540 packages of Wegmans organic spinach due to possible contamination with listeria. The 12-ounce product was sold in the frozen food department of the company’s 85 stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, and Massachusetts between Jan. 27, and March 21. This product is supplied to Wegmans by Twin City Foods in Stanwood. A representative from that company said he would have comment later Tuesday.

On Monday, Carmel Food Group today issued a voluntary recall of certain Rising Moon Organics frozen ravioli items over the same concern.

The Hayward, Calif.-based company did not say how many packages or cases of the ravioli were produced with the ingredient in question or how widespread their recall is.

Also Tuesday, federal authorities said Blue Bell is expanding the recall of some ice cream products to include 3-ounce cups of chocolate, strawberry and vanilla ice cream that have tab lids because of possible exposure to the listeria bacteria.

The Blue Bell creamery in Brenham, Texas, earlier this month recalled several other products made on the same production line after listeria was detected. Five people developed listeriosis in Kansas after eating Blue Bell products and the FDA says three of them died.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Business

Kentucky Fried Chicken along Broadway on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Few vacant retail spaces in Snohomish County

A lack of new construction and limited supply are cited as key reasons.

Cashless Amazon Go convenience store closes on Sunday in Mill Creek

The Mill Creek location is one of 16 to be shut down by Amazon.

The Naval Station Everett Base on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Rebooted committee will advocate for Naval Station Everett

The committee comes after the cancellation of Navy frigates that were to be based in Everett.

Snohomish County unemployment reaches 5.1%

It’s the highest level in more than three years.

Tommy’s Express Car Wash owners Clayton Wall, left, and Phuong Truong, right, outside of their car wash on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Clayton Wall brings a Tommy’s Express Car Wash to Everett

The Everett location is the first in Washington state for the Michigan-based car wash franchise.

Robinhood Drugs Pharmacy owner Dr. Sovit Bista outside of his store on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New pharmacy to open on Everett Optum campus

The store will fill the location occupied by Bartell Drugs for decades.

Liesa Postema, center, with her parents John and Marijke Postema, owners of Flower World on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025 in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Flower World flood damage won’t stop expansion

The popular flower center and farm in Maltby plans 80 additional acres.

Mike Fong
Mike Fong will lead efforts to attract new jobs to Everett

He worked in a similar role for Snohomish County since Jan. 2025 and was director of the state Department of Commerce before that.

Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson speaks during an event to announce the launch of the Cascadia Sustainable Aviation Accelerator at the Boeing Future of Flight Aviation Center on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Gov. Ferguson launches sustainable jet fuel research center at Paine Field

The center aims to make Snohomish County a global hub for the development of green aviation fuel.

Flying Pig owner NEED NAME and general manager Melease Small on Monday, Dec. 29, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Flying Pig restaurant starts new life

Weekend brunch and new menu items are part of a restaurant revamp

Everett Vacuum owners Kelley and Samantha Ferran with their daughter Alexandra outside of their business on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘Everything we sell sucks!’: Everett Vacuum has been in business for more than 80 years.

The local store first opened its doors back in 1944 and continues to find a place in the age of online shopping.

Sultan-based Amercare Products assess flood damage

Toiletries distributor for prisons had up to 6 feet of water in its warehouse.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.