Fresh & Easy recalls organic grape tomatoes

SANTA ANA, Calif.

That's on top of bagged romaine lettuce and cantaloupe that's part of a listeria scare.

Officials say the date codes affected Sept. 9 to Oct. 5. The voluntary recall affects only limited edition and Fresh & Easy branded organic grape tomatoes.

"I do have a concern for that, most definitely," said Tustin resident Anna Thompson. "I tend to try to buy more organic products."

It's the latest in a series of recalls involving vegetables. True Leaf Farms has expanded its voluntary recall of chopped or shredded romaine lettuce grown in California because of possible contamination with listeria, a bacterium that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in children, frail people or senior citizens.

The recall covers product with a "Use by Date" of Sept. 29.

So far there haven't been any reports of illnesses with lettuce, but listeria in cantaloupes has been linked to as many as 17 deaths across the country. The bad cantaloupes are believed to be from Jensen Farms in Colorado. They were shipped from July 29 through Sept. 10 to more than two dozen states.

The symptoms of listeria include fever and muscle aches; it could take weeks before someone starts to feel sick.

Antibiotics can help. But without treatment the illness can cause victims to become incapacitated and unable to speak.

So far no cases have turned up in California, but the recalls have some shoppers being extra careful.

"It makes me not want to buy vegetables at the grocery store because you're getting vegetables all over world," said Orange resident Alyssa Timone. "Whereas if you buy at a local farmers market you definitely can control that."

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