PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The R.I. Department of Health has announced recalls on locally produced cheese and on Growers Express vegetables within the last two days, warning consumers against eating the food products.
Middletown Cheese Farm Recall
Simmons Organic Farm ini Middletown, RI is recalling all flavors and sizes of Chevrie goat cheese and cow’s milk cheddar dated on or after June 1, 2019 because of potentially improper pasteurization. Simmons Organic Farm is located in Middletown, Rhode Island.
All products were sold at the farm in Middletown, at the Hope Street Farmers Market in Providence, and at Aquidneck Growers Market. People who purchased these products are urged to discard them.
The issue was identified on July 2nd during a routine inspection. At this time there have been no reports of illnesses.
Pasteurization of milk helps prevent foodborne illnesses, including tuberculosis, brucellosis, salmonellosis, scarlet fever, and listeriosis. While most healthy people recover from foodborne illnesses in a short time, some people may develop symptoms that are chronic, severe, or even life-threatening.
Symptoms of foodborne illnesses may include:
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- abdominal pain
- fever
- headache
- body aches
Grower’s Express Vegetable Recall
Growers Express is recalling several select fresh vegetable products, including packaged varieties of butternut squash, cauliflower, zucchini, and a butternut squashed based veggie bowl. This recalling was issued because these products could be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
The products were distributed to numerous states, including Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. The product being recalled in Rhode Island is Trader Joe’s Butternut Squash Spirals. A full list of the products being recalled by state is available online. Most of the affected products are labeled with a “Best If Used By” Date of June 26 – June 29, 2019.
There are no reported illnesses associated with this recall.
Listeria is an organism that 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 short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headaches, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.
Consumers who purchased any of these products are urged not to consume them and to throw the products away.
Author: Rob Borkowski
Rob has worked as reporter and editor for several publications, including The Kent County Daily Times and Coventry Courier, before working for Gatehouse in MA then moving home with Patch Media. Now he's publisher and editor of WarwickPost.com. Contact him at [email protected] with tips, press releases, advertising inquiries, and concerns.
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