Salad Mix in Costco’s Chicken Salad Recalled due to E. Coli

The source of the E. coli outbreak linked to Costco chicken salad might have been caused by a vegetable mix that the wholesale company had used from Taylor Farms Pacific Inc., which is located in Tracy, California.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported that Taylor Farms has recalled its mixed diced celery and onion product as well as other items that contained celery out of caution. Federal officials stated that this vegetable mix could be found in salads, packaged dinners and wraps that were sold at Costco, Starbucks, Target and other stores.

The Costco outbreak caused 19 people in seven states to fall ill from a strain known as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, which could be potentially fatal. Five of the consumers were hospitalized and two had kidney failure. No deaths were reported.

Since the outbreak, which involved the states, California, Colorado, Missouri, Montana, Utah, Virginia and Washington state, Costco has removed the chicken salad item from all of their stores. All consumers who purchased Costco's chicken salad on or before Nov. 20 should through away the product.

An E. coli infection can cause symptoms ranging from diarrhea to nausea and vomiting.

Since an infection has an incubation period from three to seven days, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a federal agency that tracks outbreaks, expects more cases to arise.

The CDC urges everyone who might be experiencing symptoms to see their doctors.