Prepared salads contained dangerous bacteria

Salatei Shamir says company investigating the Listeria contamination found in some of its products.

By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
Shamir salad 370 (photo credit: Courtesy/PR)
Shamir salad 370
(photo credit: Courtesy/PR)
In a routine examination, the Health Ministry and the labs of popular food brand Salatei Shamir (Shamir Salads) found Listeria monocytogene bacteria in some of the salads the company sold.
The bacteria can cause miscarriage in pregnant women, and harm people with weak immune systems, the ministry said on Thursday.
The tests, conducted by both the ministry and an external lab working for the company, found that the affected salads were:
• Egg salad, 250 grams, with the expiration date “7/11/13.”
• Avocado salad with egg salad, 250 grams, with the expiration date “20/11/13.”
• Roasted eggplant salad with tehina, 250 gram packages with the expiration date “31/11/13,” which were part of a series of salads made without preservatives.
None of the affected salads are on the market now. Salatei Shamir is collecting the defective products, and any consumer who bought them can return them to the store to get replacements.
The ministry, which conducts regular tests on food samples and the hygienic condition of factories and retail stores, said that all other Salatei Shamir salads are fit for consumption.
Ami Gai, one of the company’s owners, added that it employs professionals in food safety on a regular and surprise basis who take and test weekly samples. The company said it was investigating the Listeria contamination and would ensure that the production errors are eliminated.