Last month, Ray & Mascari Inc., an Indiana-based company, issued a recall on its 4-count packs of Vine-Ripe Tomatoes due to potential salmonella contamination. But the FDA has now elevated that recall, warning that the tomatoes could cause “serious adverse health consequences or death.”
While it is unlikely that the affected tomatoes will still be sitting on your countertops, the agency urges consumers to double-check their freezers for any tomatoes that may be stored there.
Gordon Food Service Stores initially sold the recalled tomatoes in numerous states, including New York, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Mississippi. The affected products were packaged in clamshell containers with the UPC #7 96553 20062 1 and a master case label with Lot # RM250424 15250B or Lot # RM250427 15250B
The update to a Class I, the most severe type of FDA recall, affects packages sold in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina under the name H&C Farms Label. These tomatoes came in various sizes, from 3-packs to 25-pound bags, and were sold between April 23 and April 28.
Salmonella is a potentially deadly infection that can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fever, and in rare cases, endocarditis, arthritis, and arterial infections. According to the CDC, roughly 420 people die from acute salmonellosis each year in the United States. The organization urges anyone with symptoms resembling Salmonella to consult their healthcare provider.
If you discover you have any of the affected tomatoes still in your possession, you should discard the product and avoid consuming it, per the recall.
