Ready-to-Eat Food Recall hits Walmart, 7-Eleven and more

SAN ANGELO, TX -- Millions of pounds of ready-to-eat salads and premade food items including entrees, burritos, wraps and pizzas at several big-name retailers such as Harris Teeter, Kroger, Whole Foods, 7-Eleven, Trader Joe's and Walmart have been recalled due to the potential risk of listeria and salmonella contamination.

The recalls stem from those issued by a dozen food manufacturers including Bakkavor Foods, Envolve Foods and Ruiz Food Products. The food makers notified the U.S. Department of Agriculture about products they shipped that could include ingredients such as corn, diced onions and other vegetables possibly tainted with bacteria, all provided from a single company, McCain Foods, the USDA says.

The initial recalls, announced by the USDA on October 17, involved relatively small quantities, ranging from 217 pounds to 940 pounds of salads. Among those products recalled last week were Whole Foods' Santa Fe Style Salad with chicken sold at stores in California, Trader Joe's labeled BBQ Flavored Chicken salad sold in several states, and Walmart's Marketside Fiesta salad with steak sold in some of its stores.

Some of the latest recalls involve far larger quantities of ingredients including 795,261 pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products such as Harris Teeter Deli-Bakery brand bacon, egg and cheese burritos, and chicken sausage, egg white and cheese breakfast burritos.

Bakkavor Foods, which makes products for Harris Teeter and Trader Joe's, has production facilities in Carson, California; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Jessup, Pennsylvania. The products recalled could contain an onion ingredient supplied by McCain Foods that may be contaminated with salmonella and listeria monocytogenes, according to the USDA.

"These recalls demonstrate just how complex and interconnected our food system is today. When you buy something from the store, it’s possible the company that produced it was three companies ago," said Will Wallace, senior food policy analyst for Consumers Union. "This is a big deal. It could impact tens of thousands of people, if not more."

Bakkavor also recalled Trader Joe's Carnitas with salsa verde burritos over the same concerns.

As of now, there have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of any of the recalled products, according to McCain Foods and the USDA.

"McCain Foods recently identified a potential health risk related to its fire roasted, caramelized or sautéed frozen vegetable and fruit products produced at its Colton (California) facility," McCain Foods said in a statement to USA TODAY on Friday when contacted about an initial five voluntary recalls involving potentially tainted corn and a sixth for possibly tainted caramelized mushrooms and fire-roasted tomatoes used in products sold at Hy-Vee. The company, which has offices in Illinois and is headquartered in Canada, said "as a result, we have made the decision to voluntarily recall all products produced at this facility."

Other products involved in the nationwide recall include Simple Truth and Cadence Gourmet entrees, Go-Go Taquitos, Jenny Craig chicken wraps, and Buddy’s Kitchen products.