At the peak of summer socializing, this is reportedly connected to an earlier outbreak that sickened 69 people in 21 states.
More Than 4,600 Pounds of Picnic Salads Recalled in 2 States at the Highest Risk Level
Published on Jul. 03, 2025
As busy as life’s been and as pricey as groceries are, no true friend will harp on you this weekend if you take a shortcut and visit the deli counter instead of making a summer side dish from scratch.
But before you load up the car for the fireworks or parade, keep food properly chilled in a cooler. Nothing derails a celebration quite like a case of food poisoning, which can spike in summer—often from food sitting in less than ideal temperature conditions. A new governmental report shares a summer food safety reminder, as shoppers in two states may have purchased salads with bacterial contamination in recent weeks.
On Wednesday, June 25, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration upgraded a recall affecting more than 4,677 pounds of Isabelle’s Kitchen, Inc. salads to a Class I event. The recall, which was previously announced by the agency on May 29, is due to a potential Salmonella contamination and is linked to the Salmonella outbreak event in cucumbers from May.
A Class I designation means the agency has determined the products involved could cause either serious health issues or death.
May’s recall announcement said the salads were sold to foodservice distributors and local supermarkets in eight states—Florida, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia—but last week’s report lists only Maryland and Pennsylvania. It is not clear from the provided information why the other states are no longer included, but ShopRite, Fairway, and Harris Teeter are three of chains with locations that appear to sell one or more of these brands.
The good news is the salads’ Sell By dates have all since passed, but as fast as summer weeks fly, here’s a fierce reminder to toss what’s outdated. Provided product details include:
Isabelle’s Kitchen, Inc, Greek Pasta Salad and Kings Where Inspiration Strikes Greek Pasta Salad, 4.5 lbs.
- Code information: 5002B, 4605
- Julian Date: 134, 135
- Sell By dates: June 1, 2025 and June 2, 2025
- 263.78 total pounds
Maple Avenue Foods Powerhouse Wheatberry Salad Kit, 4.5 lbs.
- Code information: 8015G, 8015B
- Sell By dates: May 27, 2025 and May 28, 2025
- 507 total pounds
Isabelle’s Kitchen, Inc, Maple Avenue Foods Quinoa Tabouli Salad, 5 lbs.
- Code information: 8031B
- Sell By dates: May 30, 2025 and May 31, 2025
- 371.47 total pounds
Isabelle’s Kitchen, Inc, Maple Avenue Foods Mediterranean Pasta Salad, 4.5 lbs.
- Code information: 5007B
- Sell By dates: May 30, 2025 and May 31, 2025
- 3,027.79 total pounds
Isabelle’s Kitchen, Inc, Maple Avenue Foods Crunchy Wheatberry Salad, 5 lbs.
- Code information: 8015B
- Sell By dates: May 27, 2025 and May 28, 2025
- 507 total pounds
Additionally, Julian dates of 134 and 135 were included for each salad. (Some food producers use the ancient calendar system named after Julius Caesar to track precisely when bulk products were packaged.)
The report also includes “high density polyethylene container with sealed lid” as part of each salad’s product description, likely describing the type of packaging. The May report says the products were “packed in a white plastic container inside a white or brown corrugated box under the brand names ‘Isabelle’s Kitchen,’ ‘Maple Avenue Foods,’ or ‘Kings.’”
As of a June 30 update, the FDA and CDC report a total of 69 people—with at least 22 being hospitalized—in 21 states were infected with Salmonella connected to the Bedner Growers, Inc.’s cucumber outbreak. The CDC now says the outbreak is over, and “recalled product is past shelf-life and should no longer be available for sale in stores.”
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