Wednesday, November 13, 2013

NOW IT’S E.COLI IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SALADS!

There have been a slew of recalls of ready-to-eat salads and other “grab and go” foods in the U.S. lately. Most have been triggered by possible contamination by Listeria bacteria. Now there’s a recall because of E.coli contamination. And it’s not just any old E.coli. It’s that more deadly E.coli 0157:H7 than can actually send you to the hospital with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) if you are unlucky.

Athertone Foods, Inc. of Richmond, California, operating as Glass Onion Catering and Gourmet Foods (sounds more up-market doesn’t it?) is recalling a slew of different ready-to-eat salads and wraps because they may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 bacteria. The salads were sold in Northern California by Walgreens, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods (10 out of its 40 Northern California stores). Glass Onion Catering and Gourmet Foods is a rising force in the prepackaged, grab-and-go gourmet food industry with its products being marketed under several retail brands.

Today Whole Foods Market announced its own recall of these suspect Glass Onion-produced products - ready-to-eat Artichoke Wheatberry Salad and Southwest SooFoo®* Salad (so-so gourmet sounding!). This is yet another recall for the rapidly expanding supermarket that prides itself on being the world’s leader in natural & organic foods. It now has more than 340 stores in the U.S., U.K. & Canada! Most of my food-conscious friends shop at Whole Foods, because they fully believe that the food is better and safer, and worth the extra cost.

Wait a minute…Think about it. This high end food market is getting its prepared salads from the same supplier as is Trader Joe’s. And even worse, as is Walgreen’s! I cannot see any of my friends buying their salads at Walgreen’s. But they might as well. And it could be a whole lot cheaper. That’s our industrialized food supply for us (see my previous post). As for these ready-to-eat salads and other products that save us spending 5 minutes in the kitchen...Well, if you read this blog, or have read the book, you know how I feel about them.

To your good health,

TSF


1 comment:

Unknown said...

It was a juice drink so cleverly marketed that my son not only asked me to buy it at the grocery store but also insisted that I watch the commercial when it came on. I could see the wheels turning in my son's head: "See Food Marketing Services , it really is healthy for me — just look at those kids frolicking around as they drink it!"