The “Bat Salad” recall: What you need to know

Over the weekend, there were widespread news reports about a salad salads because of bat remains found in a clamshell of salad purchased in Florida.

Here's what you, and your customers, need to know:

• The recall involved salads at Wal-Mart Stores Inc. locations in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia;

• It involved one batch, under the Marketside brand, packaged by Fresh Express;

• The “Organic Spring Mix” was packaged in 5-ounce clamshells;

• Salads were best by April 14, 2017;

• No other Marketside salads were included in the recall;

• Fresh Express salads are not subject to a recall;

• Two people in Florida reported bat remains in the salad;

• The remains were sent to the Centers for Disease Control rabies lab for testing;

• The Centers for Disease Control said rabies transmission is unlikely;

• Consumers who have purchased the product should discard and not consume it;

• People who ate the recalled batch and did not find animal material are not at risk and do not need to contact the CDC.

• Fresh Express issued this statement:

Fresh Express takes matters of food safety very seriously and rigorously complies with all food safety regulations including the proscribed Good Agricultural Practices. In addition, a range of stringent controls are in place during growing and harvesting to mitigate against field material from entering the raw product system. In manufacturing, additional controls including thorough washing and filtration systems as well as visual inspections that are designed to eliminate unwanted debris.