Dole is at at the centre of a Listeria outbreak in the U.S. and Canada, with several cases of the illness and one death thought to be linked to contaminated packaged salads.
Originating from its processing facility in Ohio, the Dole salads - also sold under the brands Fresh Selections, Simple Truth, Marketside, The Little Salad Bar and PC Organics - were distributed to Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada, as well as more than 20 U.S. states.
The products are believed to be connected to one death in Michigan in January, and the hospitalizations of a dozen people in the U.S. and seven people in eastern Canada since September.
Earlier this month, agriculture officials in the U.S. detected Listeria in a salad bag. Production of packaged salads at the Ohio plant has been suspended. Supermarkets have been notified, and will immediately remove the affected items from their stock.
Caused by a bacteria, Listeria can lead to a serious illness called listeriosis. Particularly at risk are pregnant women and unborn or newborn children, people with compromised immune systems, as well as adults over the age of 65.
Mild symptoms of listeriosis include fever, muscle aches, nausea or diarrhea, which set in a day after eating the contaminated food and can be treated with antibiotics. According to Health Canada, more severe symptoms can include "headache, poor co-ordination, seizures or neck stiffness," and the incubation period can be much longer.
Affected Dole salads are identified with the letter "A" at the beginning of the manufacturing code listed on packaging.
Health Canada, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (US CPSC) and Britax Child Safety, Inc. have recalled the foam-padded arm bar on B-Ready Strollers and B-Ready Top Seats manufactured between April 1, 2010 and December 31, 2012 in the following models:
B-READY Stroller
B-READY Top Seat Accessory
If your Britax was made after 31 December, 2012 - or has a different model number than those listed above - it is NOT included in this recall.
The stroller model and date of manufacturer can be found on a label affixed to the stroller.
Though no injury was reported, Health Canada received nine reports of a child biting off a piece of foam on the arm bar, which poses a choking hazard. In the United States, Britax received 117 reports of children biting the foam arm bar, with five injuries sustained.
Customers are advised to immediately remove the foam-padded arm bar and contact Britax for a free replacement kit containing a zippered fabric arm cover and new warning label. Alternatively, customers may continue to use their B-Ready strollers without the arm bar attached.
For further information, customers can contact Britax toll free at 1-800-683-2045 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. ET Monday through Thursday and from 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. ET on Friday, via email or via the Britax website.
Between April 1, 2010 and December 31, 2012, approximately 11,320 B-Ready Strollers and/or Top Seats were sold through various retailers in Canada, and approximately 49,000 in the United States.
Health Canada, Transport Canada, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (US CPSC) and Britax Child Safety, Inc. have recalled certain B-Safe 35 and B-Safe 35/B-Agile Travel Systems manufactured between October 1, 2014 and July 1, 2015:
B-Safe 35
B-Safe 35/B-Agile Travel System
Model numbers and date of manufacture (DOM) are listed on a label located at the back of the car seat shell.
The car seat handle may crack and break, causing a fall hazard.
While Health Canada has not received any reports in relation to the seats, Britax has received 74 reports (one of which was in Canada) of the handle breaking or cracking during use. One incident in the U.S. resulted in an injury to an infant whose seat fell.
The seat is safe to use when secured in a vehicle or stroller. However, customers are advised not to carry the seat by the handle until they have received their free repair kit. To see whether your product is registered, or to order a repair kit, customers may contact Britax via their website.
For more information, customers may contact Britax by telephone at 1-800-683-2045 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. ET Monday through Thursday and from 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. ET on Friday, via email or via the Britax website listed above.
From November 1, 2014 to January 1, 2016, approximately 3,900 seats were sold in Canada, and about 71,000 in the United States.
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