(Reuters) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday it is currently investigating two separate listeria outbreaks linked to packaged salads produced by Dole PLC and Fresh Express.
The agency's probe along with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) comes after the CDC reported 26 illnesses from the two https:// companies' https:// packaged salads, of which 22 have been hospitalized and three have died.
Earlier this week, the companies had announced a recall of some of their products over possible contamination with the listeria bacteria, which can cause a severe illness known as invasive listeriosis and could lead to death.
Fresh Express's recalled brands include Fresh Express, Bowl & Basket and Giant Eagle, while Dole's brands were the Ahold, Dole, Kroger (NYSE:KR) and Little Salad Bar.
The affected packages were processed at Dole's facilities in Bessemer City, North Carolina and Yuma, Arizona, while Fresh Express' products were made at Streamwood, Illinois.