Fresh & Easy Recalls Bagged Spinach

Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets Inc. is recalling a brand of its bagged spinach after one of the bags tested positive for a bacterium that can cause serious illnesses and miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women.

The bacterium, Listeria monocytogenes, was found in a 12-ounce bag of Fresh & Easy Washed Spinach with the "Enjoy by" date of Oct. 16, according to a statement from the grocery chain.

The product has been sold in California, Arizona and Nevada, and bears the barcode 20001124. The statement, which was released on Friday, said no illnesses associated with this product have been reported.

A random sample test detected the organism, which can "cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems," according to the statement. Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

Short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea can occur in healthy individuals.

Consumers who have this product should discard the spinach immediately, according to the statement, and can receive a full refund by either returning the empty product bag or presenting the receipt of the recalled product as proof of purchase to any Fresh & Easy store for a full refund. 

If you have any questions about the recall, Fresh & Easy has a 24-hour toll free number at 800-648-8622.

Fresh & Easy has a store in Manhattan Beach at 1700-C Rosecrans Avenue, near BevMo and Office Depot next to a shopping center that includes Trader Joe's and Il Fornaio. That store can be reached by calling 310-536-9807.

Personnel at the MB store declined to say whether or not the location had sold any of the recalled bagged spinach or had had any claims made for refunds and referred Manhattan Beach Patch to the corporate office.

MB Patch contacted the Fresh & Easy Corporate office and left a message.