Thousands of Walmart soup kits were recalled after possible listeria contamination.
Kettle Cuisine has recalled thousands of tomato bisque soup kits sold at Walmart after routine testing found a possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria that can cause serious illness. The recall involves 3,240 Marketside Tomato Bisque Soup Kits that were sold at select Walmart stores across 29 states. The Maryland-based company announced the recall on August 12 after testing produced what was described as a presumptive positive result for Listeria monocytogenes. No illnesses have been reported in connection with the soup kits, according to the notice and the company has been working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate the possible contamination.
The recalled soup was sold between June 30 and July 7 in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin and West Virginia.
The affected product is packaged in a 14-ounce wrapped tray. Consumers can identify the recalled soup by checking the product’s UPC number, 194346474004, along with an expiration date of August 22, 2026. The product is labeled Marketside Tomato Bisque Soup Kit and was sold through Walmart stores in the listed states. Consumers who have one of the recalled kits should not eat it. The company also advises against serving, selling or giving the product to another person. The soup can be thrown away or returned to Walmart for a refund.
Extra cleaning is also advised after handling a recalled package. Consumers should wash their hands and clean surfaces that may have come into contact with the soup. Refrigerators, freezers, food containers, cooking utensils and countertops should also be washed and sanitized if the recalled product was stored or handled in those areas.
Listeria can cause different symptoms depending on the person and the type of infection. Some otherwise healthy people may develop fever, headache, nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea or muscle stiffness. Symptoms can be mild at first, which can make an infection harder to recognize until they get more severe. A more serious form of the illness can occur when the bacteria spreads beyond the digestive system. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says symptoms of this type of infection generally begin within two weeks after eating contaminated food, although the timing can vary.
Pregnant women can experience fever and symptoms that resemble the flu, including muscle aches and tiredness. The illness may be mild or may cause no noticeable symptoms during pregnancy. Despite that, a Listeria infection during pregnancy can have serious consequences, including miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth or a life-threatening infection in a newborn. Older adults, young children and people with weakened immune systems are also at greater risk of severe illness. The CDC reports that invasive listeriosis can be deadly, with nearly one out of six people who develop the illness outside of pregnancy dying from it.
Anyone who ate a recalled soup kit and later develops symptoms associated with Listeria infection should contact a medical provider. Consumers who are unsure whether a product is part of the recall should avoid eating it until its identifying information can be checked.
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