Nearly 93,000 pounds of fully cooked chicken Caesar salad kits are being recalled by a California food producer due to possible contamination by Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) contamination, the United Sates Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service has announced.

APPA Fine Foods, a Corona, California establishment, is recalling 92,657 pounds of product that were shipped nationwide to one bulk warehouse chain, Sam's Club, for retail sale at its in-store cafés, according to a USDA news release. The following products are subject to recall:

  • 11oz. clear plastic containers and 6.5-lb. boxes labeled, "APPA Fine Foods/Sam's Club Daily Chef CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD KIT" with case codes 141851, 141922, 141951, 141991, 142021, 142201 or 142131 with use by dates of 8/14/14, 8/21/14, 8/27/14, 9/1/14, 9/3/14 or 9/17/14.

The kits were produced on July 4, July 11, July 14, July 18, July 21, July 25, Aug. 1 and Aug. 8, 2014, with box labels bearing the establishment number "P-21030" inside the USDA mark of inspection.

Meanwhile, personnel from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development informed the FSIS they received two confirmed positive Lm results from retail products purchased at one of the bulk warehouse chain locations.

The bulk warehouse chain then sampled intact components of the salad kits and only the chicken products tested positive for Lm.

Otherwise, the FSIS and the company say no additional reports have been received of illnesses associated with the consumption of the recalled items.

Consumption of food contaminated with Lm can cause listeriosis, an infection that mainly affects older adults, individuals suffering from weakened immune systems, pregnant women and newborn infants.

People falling outside the aforementioned categories are not commonly affected.

Listeriosis, explains the USDA news release, "can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract. In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn. In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics. Persons in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell the health care provider about eating the contaminated food."

The FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to make certain recalling firms notify their customers of such recall actions and steps are taken to ensure affected product is no longer available to consumers.

Retail distribution lists will be posted on the FSIS website, www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls, when available.

Consumers with additional questions about the salad kit recall may contact Thom Rindt of APPA Fine Foods, at 951-547-8111.