Recalls happen in the U.S. almost daily. Most consumers know not to eat or drink the recalled products and to throw them out, but one thing that’s easy to forget about is cross-contamination.
Products that have been recalled often have been placed in consumers’ refrigerators, on their counters or in their cupboards. This means that cross-contamination could have occurred in any of these areas.
Harmful germs in the recalled product can easily spread to drawers or shelves in your refrigerator through from packaging or spills or leaks.
Recalled food is often contaminated with harmful pathogens, such as Salmonella, Listeria or E. coli. This means that after a recalled product has sat in your fridge, it could contaminate other items in your fridge with one of these dangerous pathogens.
Food poisoning can lead to being hospitalized, and for certain vulnerable people, the illnesses can be fatal.
There are some tips in the link above from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on how to clean your fridge and counters, and keep your family safe and healthy after removing a recalled product. Use paper towels when possible.
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