SALT LAKE CITY, Jan. 1 (UPI) -- Dozens of Smith's and Kroger supermarkets in nine U.S. states pulled iceberg lettuce from their shelves because of salmonella concerns, officials say.
The Web site for Smith's Stores initially said the wrapped heads of Growers Express iceberg lettuce may be contaminated with salmonella and, if eaten, could result in severe illness.
However, it was later clarified that the actual source of the salmonella was not a Growers Express lettuce field but a nearby one owned by another company, so the recall was downgraded to Class 2: voluntary and precautionary, KSL-TV in Salt Lake City reported.
Marsha Gilford, spokeswoman for Smith's told KSL-TV that customers should be cautious, but not overly worried.
The Food Poison Journal reported Smith's grocery stores in Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, and northern Nevada had pulled all Growers Express brand iceberg lettuce from its shelves.
To notify customers, the stores have put up signs in their produce departments and initiated automated phone calls to customers who purchased the Growers Express brand iceberg lettuce with frequent shopper cards.
The recall also affected Kroger's stores in North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky, the company's Web site said.
Gilford advised customers to throw out iceberg lettuce with the Growers Express brand sticker on the plastic wrap.
