Bagged Salads Linked to Illness in 13 Minnesotans

The Minnesota Department of Health said 13 people in Minnesota have gotten sick with an intestinal illness linked to bagged salads.

The Minnesotans ranged in age from 24 to 79 and fell ill between June 1 and 9, the Health Department said Saturday. Two lived in the metro area while the rest were from Greater Minnesota. None of the sick had to be hospitalized.

State health officials are warning consumers not to eat ALDI Little Salad Bar brand Garden Salad or Hy-Vee brand Garden Salad. The Star Tribune reports the warning applies only to the store-brand salads labeled as “garden salads” and not for other kinds of store-brand packaged salads sold at those retailers.

The Minnesotans are among people from six states who have gotten sick with Cyclospora infections linked to the bagged salads.

The infection is caused by a parasite and is spread by eating fresh produce; it is not spread person-to-person. Washing the produce is unlikely to kill the parasite.

Symptoms include watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, loss of appetite and weight loss. People typically become ill about a week after exposure.

Anyone with the bagged salad at issue in their refrigerator is advised to throw it away and not eat it.

Topics Minnesota