The Deli Counter Problem: Listeria Recalls You Will Never See on a Label

At a glance

• On September 8, Made Fresh Salads of Bay Shore, New York recalled dozens of ready-to-eat deli salads and cream cheese products after FDA sampling found Listeria in its facility.
• The products shipped in 30-pound and 5-pound tubs and half-size aluminum pans under the Made Fresh Salads and Northside labels, with expiration dates from September 3 to 18.
• In the same weeks, USDA recalls covered about 3,215 pounds of pastrami and corned beef and 1,513 pounds of imported pork guanciale, both for possible Listeria.
• No illnesses had been reported in connection with any of the three.

The issue

In September, Made Fresh Salads of Bay Shore, New York recalled dozens of ready-to-eat deli salads and cream cheese products after FDA environmental sampling found Listeria monocytogenes in the facility. The products shipped in 30-pound and 5-pound tubs and half-size aluminum pans under the Made Fresh Salads and Northside labels to stores and distributors across Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and the rest of New York City, with expiration dates from September 3 to 18. No illnesses had been reported at the time of the recall.

How big it got

The same season, USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service posted City Foods' recall of about 3,215 pounds of ready-to-eat pastrami and corned beef under the Midamar and Bea's Best labels, shipped to food service in Illinois, Iowa, and Michigan and then distributed nationwide, produced July 16 with a 60-day shelf life. On September 6, Prime Line Distributors and Ferrarini USA recalled about 1,513 pounds of imported ready-to-eat guanciale, a dry-cured pork jowl from Italy. Both were for possible Listeria. FSIS issued six recalls and one public health alert in August alone.

What it means for you

A 30-pound tub becomes a quarter pound of potato salad in a clear container with the store's own label. Your receipt says "DELI SALAD". The recall says "Northside". And Listeria can take up to 70 days to show symptoms. The deli counter has been here before: see what happened with Boar's Head deli meats.

How EatSure closes the gap

EatSure's recall records carry the retailer and distribution details, and the "Why this flagged" panel explains how to tell a matching product apart even when the brand is not on your container. Keep scanning receipts and leave recall alerts on. The app does the cross-referencing that nobody can do by hand at a deli counter.

What to do if you have it

• If you bought deli salads or flavored cream cheese in New York City with an expiration date from September 3 to 18, ask the store whether they came from Made Fresh Salads or Northside.
• Listeria survives refrigeration. Throw recalled food away and clean the shelf and containers it touched.
• If you are pregnant, over 65, or have a weakened immune system and ate a recalled product, call your doctor even if you feel fine.