"FDA Warning: Salad Dressing Recall Expands in 25 States"

Nearly 50,000 Salad Dressings Received FDA’s Highest Warning Level

Next time you’re prepping a plate full of leafy greens, don’t forget to pile on the raw veggies, include protein, and enjoy cheese in moderation if you’re hoping to avoid a few common salad mistakes. If you’re aiming for maximum health in that salad, experts recommend going for a homemade salad dressing over store-bought when possible.

But when time is tight, premade dressings— even quicker: premade salad kits—pour flavor and easier mouth-feel into that bowl. However, one recent salad dressing recall just got a big update.

On September 15, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that 46,800 units of Honey Balsamic Dressing manufactured by Southern California-based Latitude 36 Foods have been recalled. It’s been reported the manufacturer initiated the recall after the packages were discovered to contain Asian Sesame Ginger Dressing, rather than the advertised product. This week’s FDA report lists the recalling reason as: Product contains undeclared Soy and Sesame.

According to the Food Allergy Research & Education organization (FARE), an estimated 1.9 million Americans have a soy food allergy while 700,000 people in the U.S. are said to have a sesame allergy. Soy and sesame allergies represent two of the “Big Nine,” a group of nine major food allergens which account for 90% of allergic reactions in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. Said the FDA in the August press release: “People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to sesame and soy run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.”

The dressings, which were reportedly sold in 3.4-ounce pouches as part of salad bowl kits, have now been assigned the health authority’s highest risk level designation: Class I. The agency reserves this classification for situations “in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.”

Recall details from the FDA include:

• Taylor Farms Honey Balsamic dressing
• 3.4-ounce plastic pouch
• Lot: 131105-3335 and 131105-3335A

It’s also noted that “Best by date and Lot number appear directly on pouch,” though the report did not highlight any specific “Best by” date details.

The pouches listed in the most recent notice were said to have been sent to a single customer in California, who was notified of the error by email. It is not further detailed whether the customer potentially distributed the product beyond the state. A linked press release for a much broader August 26 recall shows that the pouches were included in Taylor Farms Honey Balsamic Salad Kits, which were distributed at least 25 states: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia. Walmart, Kroger, and other major retailers posted related recall notices of their own.

For daily wellness updates, subscribe to The Healthy by Reader’s Digest newsletter and follow The Healthy on Facebook and Instagram. Keep reading:

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The source: The Healthy.