Ready Pac Foods, Inc., of Irwindale, California, is recalling 702 cases of its Baby Spinach variety of Spinach Temptations six-ounce bagged salads because they could be contaminated by E. coli 0157:H7.

The recall involves Ready Pac Baby Spinach, Spinach Temptations six-ounce bagged salads (UPC Code 77745 20676) with a Use By Date of July 4 and Product Codes 11707B, IR127121 and with a Use By Date of July 8 with Product Codes 12007B, IR130373. The recall extends only to products with this Use By Date or Product Code sold in the following states: California, Washington, and Arizona. No other Ready Pac Foods, Inc. products are included in the recall. To date, no illnesses related to these products have been reported.

E. coli 0157:H7 is an organism that may cause diarrheal illness often with bloody stools. Although most healthy adults can recover completely within a week, some people can develop a form of kidney failure called Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). HUS is most likely to occur in young children and the elderly and can lead to serious kidney damage and even death.

Because it is still possible that recalled products bearing the Use By Dates of July 4 and July 8 with the above Products Codes could be on store shelves, this recall extends to retailers as well as to consumers. Ready Pac believes that it is important to alert consumers and retailers who might still possess one of the potentially affected salads to dispose of it immediately.

Ready Pac Foods, Inc. has notified all of its retail customers who have received the product in question and directed them to remove it from their shelves.

Instructions for Consumers:

Check your refrigerator for Ready Pac Baby Spinach, Spinach Temptations six-ounce bagged salads with the Use By Dates of July 4 and July 8 with the above Product Codes. Use By Dates are found in the upper left hand corner of the package with the Product Codes located immediately underneath.

Consumers who may have purchased the affected product are asked to record the Use By Date and Product Code, immediately dispose of the product, and contact the Ready Pac Consumer Affairs representative, toll-free at (800) 8007822, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) to obtain a full refund.

Instructions for Retailers:

All retailers who receive this product are asked to reconfirm with their distribution centers and all individual stores to ensure that no Baby Spinach with the Code Dates of July 4 and July 8 with the above Product Codes remains in their inventory or at store locations. A separate notification will be forwarded to all relevant Ready Pac retail customers. For additional details, retailers are asked to contact their Ready Pac customer service representative.