Egg, potato salads from Trader Joe's recalled for potentially deadly bacteria

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- If you’ve bought egg or potato salads at Trader Joe’s, don’t eat it. It may contain potentially deadly bacteria.

The food manufacturer, Bakkavor Foods USA, is recalling 6-ounce Trader Joe’s Egg Salad and 20-ounce Trader Joe’s Old Fashioned Potato Salad with “use by” codes through Friday, Dec. 27.

The salads were distributed to Trader Joe’s stores in 29 states, including Indiana and Kentucky. They come in plastic cups and trays with SKY numbers printed on the labels and “use by” date codes at the top or bottom of the containers.

Bakkavor, based in London, said the products may be contaminated with Listeria bacteria, “which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems.

“Healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headaches, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea,” the company said. “Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.”

An estimated 1,600 people get listeriosis each year, and about 260 die, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Bakkavor said it is recalling the products because it was notified by Gainesville, Ga.-based Almark Foods that it supplied some egg whites that may have been contaminated. The CDC had issued a warning about Almark products last week.

Bakkavor said that so far, no illnesses related to the products have been confirmed.

“Consumers should discard the product immediately or return it to their point of purchase for a full refund,” the company said. Customers can contact Bakkavor at 855-312-7504.