Highest risk U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Baker Farms Curly Mustard Greens recall: Potential Foodborne Illness – Listeria monocytogens

Recall published 1+ years ago

Potential Foodborne Illness – Listeria monocytogens

Baker Farms Other food products — recalled other food productsBaker Farms Other food products — recalled other food products (photo 2)Baker Farms Other food products — recalled other food products (photo 3)
3 photos published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration with the recall notice.

The hazard: Listeria contamination

This is a Listeria recall, so the usual kitchen tests do not apply — the bacteria grow in a cold fridge and leave no smell, no cloudiness and no off taste.

What the notice says: Listeria monocytogenes , an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

Why it matters: Listeria monocytogenes is unusual among foodborne bacteria because it keeps growing at refrigerator temperature. A contaminated pack does not become safer for sitting in the cold, and it will look, smell and taste completely normal.

Symptoms and when to call a doctor

Listeriosis is mild or silent in most healthy adults, but it is serious for pregnant people, newborns, adults over 65 and anyone whose immune system is suppressed. The CDC describes intestinal illness as diarrhoea and vomiting, and invasive illness as fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance or convulsions. In pregnancy it can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or infection in the newborn even when the parent feels only mildly unwell. Symptoms can start within a day or not appear for weeks, so tell any doctor you see that you ate a recalled product and give them the date.

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you feel unwell, a clinician who can see you is the only person able to judge your case.

Recall details

Published
December 2, 2024
Risk level
Highest risk
Issued by
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Brand
Baker Farms
Product type
Other food products
Distribution
Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas
UPC codes
813098020184
Reports of harm
No illnesses have been reported to date.

Products covered by this recall

Curly Mustard Greens

What the company announced

Norman Park, GA – December 2, 2024 – Baker Farms is recalling their Baker Farms Curly Mustard, 16 oz. plastic bags with BEST BY 11-21-2024, UPC: 8 13098 02018 4, Lot Code: bak144-6806 due to contamination of Listeria monocytogenes . Listeria monocytogenes , an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, a Listeria monocytogenes infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

On 11-29-2024 the firm was notified by the Texas Department of State Health Services that the product tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes . The product was packed on 11/4/2024 and distributed between 11/5/2024 – 11/9/2024. This product was packaged in clear plastic bags and sold to distribution centers located in the states of: AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, TN & TX.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

Please see the pictures below for further identification.

Products affected are:

  • Product: Baker Farms Curly Mustard · Size: 16 oz · UPC: 8 13098 02018 4 · Production Code: bak144-6806 · BEST BY: 11-21-2024

The Best by Date and Production Code is located on the front of each package. No other bagged greens are included in this recall.

Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume the product but to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund or they may discard the product. Consumers with questions may contact Baker Farms (844) 761-2244 Monday – Friday 8:00 am–5:00 pm EST.

This recall is being made with the knowledge of the Food and Drug Administration.

Reproduced from the company announcement posted on fda.gov. Links and contact forms in the original are not repeated here; the official notice below has them.

Check your product

The notice names 4 codes you can read straight off the package. Type the one printed on yours and the list below narrows to it.

UPC / barcode

Read the twelve digits under the barcode on the package.

  • 813098020184

Lot or batch code

Usually ink-stamped near the seam, the cap or the bottom of the pack.

  • bak144-6806

Best-by / use-by date

Printed beside the lot code, not on the price sticker.

  • 11-21-2024

Package size

Match the net weight or the piece count on the front of the pack.

  • 16 oz

Codes are lifted verbatim from the FDA — Company recall announcements notice. A code that is missing here may still be covered — the official notice is the complete list.

What to do about Listeria

Baker Farms — This is a Listeria recall, so the usual kitchen tests do not apply — the bacteria grow in a cold fridge and leave no smell, no cloudiness and no off taste.

  1. Do not eat it and do not open a sealed pack to inspect it — opening it only spreads the bacteria around your kitchen.
  2. Photograph the label, the lot code and the date mark before the pack leaves the house — that picture is what a refund claim runs on.
  3. Throw it out in a sealed bag, or return it to the store. Either is accepted; what matters is that nobody else eats it.
  4. Wash and then sanitise anything the food touched: the fridge shelf and drawer, chopping boards, knives, counters and your hands. Listeria colonises cold surfaces and can survive there after the food is gone.

Getting a refund without the pack

The commonest reason people skip the refund is that they have already thrown the item away. That rarely matters.

  • A photo of the label and lot code is accepted by most grocers, and so is a card statement line showing the purchase.
  • Store credit is often offered first. You can ask for the original payment method instead, and it is normally granted.
  • No photo either? Ask anyway. Grocery chains settle recall refunds at the service desk because disputing them costs more than paying them.
  • For a multi-pack or a case, ask for the full purchase price rather than a per-unit figure — the recall covers what you paid.

Remedy named in the notice: Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume the product but to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund or they may discard the product.

Company contact: Baker Farms — Consumers: Baker Farms, (844) 761-2244

The official notice

This page summarises a notice published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The agency notice is the authoritative version — read it before you act, and treat it as the final word if anything here looks different.

Open the FDA — Company recall announcements record U.S. Food and Drug Administration recalls

Questions people ask about this recall

Why was Baker Farms other food products recalled?

Potential Foodborne Illness – Listeria monocytogens Listeria monocytogenes , an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

How do I know if I have the recalled product?

Match the codes printed on your package against the notice: UPC 813098020184; lot code bak144-6806; best-by date 11-21-2024. If the code on your package is not on that list, your unit is outside the recall.

What should I do with it right now?

Do not eat it and do not open a sealed pack to inspect it — opening it only spreads the bacteria around your kitchen.

Can I get my money back?

The notice says: Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume the product but to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund or they may discard the product.

Which states were affected?

The notice lists Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas.

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