Salad Alert Sparks Warning to Customers in Two States

Consumers are being warned about potential undisclosed allergens in prepackaged salad bowls.

A public health alert shared to the website of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) on Monday warns those with wheat or fish allergies to steer clear of Ready Pac “Bistro Grande Southwestern Style” bowls sold in California and Nevada.

The alert was issued because some of the packages are mislabeled and actually contain chicken Caesar salad—which contains wheat and anchovy fish. FSIS said that the product was not being recalled from stores because it is no longer being sold, although some consumers may still have the salad bowls at home.

“FSIS is issuing this public health alert to ensure that consumers with allergies to wheat and fish are aware that this product should not be consumed,” the alert states. “FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators.”

“Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them,” it continues. “These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.”

The affected products are 11.75-ounce bowls of “Bistro Grande Southwestern Style With Chicken And Salsa Ranch Dressing” that display a “use by” date of June 12, 2024. The product label also contains the time stamp “08:59,” lot code “217638176” and the establishment number “P-27497.”

The alert states that the manufacturer was unaware of the issue until a customer complained about the mislabeling. It was unclear how many of the salads were sold or may have been consumed prior to the alert being issued.

Newsweek reached out for comment to The Bonduelle Group, which produces the salads under the Ready Pac label, via email on Monday night.

Customers with additional questions were urged to contact Ready Pac Food, Inc., via phone at 800-800-7822 or by email at bfa-consumer.affairs@bonduelle.com.

Food products that fail to list ingredients like wheat, which may be of little concern to most consumers, have the potential to cause the sometimes deadly condition of anaphylaxis in those who have related allergies.

The presence of undisclosed wheat in food products also presents a serious medical risk for those with celiac disease, an autoimmune condition distinct from a wheat allergy that leaves those affected with a hypersensitivity to the gluten found in wheat and some other grains.

While no illnesses related to the Ready Pac salad alert had been reported at the time of publication, mislabeled food products do occasionally result in tragic and avoidable deaths caused by severe allergic reactions.

Last year, Connecticut-based Northeastern supermarket chain Stew Leonard’s recalled packages of its Florentine cookies following the death of a woman who ate the cookies without realizing that they contained peanuts.

The victim was later identified as Órla Baxendale, a 25-year-old British national who had moved to New York City to pursue her career as a “world class” dancer, according to NBC New York.

“This is a heartbreaking tragedy that should never have happened,” Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli said in a statement at the time. “Our condolences go out to the family affected by this incident.”