Bagged Salad Removed from Supermarkets after Making Consumers Sick

Category: Health

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. recall / rɪˈkɔl / (v) – to officially order the return of products to the company that made them
    Example:

    The toy manufacturer recalled thousands of its products because of a harmful chemical found in their paint.


  2. contaminate / kənˈtæm əˌneɪt / (v) – to make something polluted or harmful
    Example:

    Garbage contaminates nearby water sources.


  3. parasite / ˈpær əˌsaɪt / (n) – an organism that depends on another organism for nutrients
    Example:

    Freezing or cooking fish to recommended temperatures can kill harmful parasites.


  4. ingest / ɪnˈdʒɛst / (v) – to take food or liquid into the body
    Example:

    The poisonous chemical had been ingested by the patient.


  5. immunocompromised / ˌɪm yə noʊˈkɒm prə maɪzd / (adj) – having a weakened immune system
    Example:

    I’m immunocompromised, so I easily get sick.


Article

Read the text below.

Bagged salad mixes sold at grocery stores were recalled after being possibly contaminated with infectious parasites.


The affected products were distributed to 10 US states and sold at grocery chains Hy-Vee, Jewel-Osco, and ALDI. The mixes, which contained carrots, iceberg lettuce, and red cabbage, were produced by Fresh Express, a company that manufactures ready-to-eat salads.


According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 122 people got sick in July after eating one of the salads, and 19 were hospitalized.


The CDC first reported the contamination in June when it confirmed 76 cases of cyclosporiasis, a mild illness caused by the parasite cyclospora. This parasite enters the body when contaminated food or water is ingested. Some symptoms of the illness, which may last for more than a month, include severe diarrhea and loss of weight and appetite.


According to experts, the illness usually goes away on its own, but some immunocompromised people may need to be treated with prescribed antibiotics.


The president of Fresh Express said that the company is working together with the Food and Drug Administration to determine the source of the outbreak.


In the meantime, the CDC advises people who purchased the recalled salad mixes to throw away any leftovers even if they had not gotten sick after eating the products. If consumers are unsure whether the bagged salad mixes they bought are part of the recall, the CDC recommends disposing of them to be safe.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

• Do you think both the salad’s manufacturer and its distributor should take responsibility for the contamination regardless of whose fault it was? Why or why not?
• How should people affected by the contamination be compensated (e.g. by giving them a refund, by paying for their hospital bills)? Discuss.

Discussion B

• How can manufacturers/distributors of ready-to-eat food ensure that their products are fresh and safe? Discuss.
• Why do you think some people prefer buying ready-to-eat food instead of preparing food from scratch? Explain.