Dole Fresh Vegetables Announces Voluntary Recall of 'Dole Hearts Delight' Packaged Salads

Recall -- Firm Press Release

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Dole Fresh Vegetables Announces Voluntary Recall of 'Dole Hearts
Delight' Packaged Salads
Contact:
Marty Ordman
1-818-874-4834
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE --Monterey, Calif. -- Sept. 17, 2007 --- Dole
Fresh Vegetables, a division of Dole Food Company, Inc., today announced
that it is voluntarily recalling all salad bearing the label "Dole
Hearts Delight" sold in the U.S. and Canada with a "best if used by
(BIUB)" date of September 19, 2007, and a production code of "A24924A"
or "A24924B" stamped on the package. The "best if use by (BIUB)" code
date can be located in the upper right hand corner of the front of the
bag. The salad was sold in plastic bags of 227 grams in Canada and
one-half pound in the U.S., with UPC code 071430-01038.
Symptoms of E. coli O157:H7 exposure could include stomach cramps and
diarrhea. Bloody diarrhea may develop. E. coli disease sometimes leads
to a complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). If you
exhibited any of these symptoms within 3 to 5 days of consuming any of
the products specified above, seek medical attention.
To date, Dole has received no reports that anyone has become sick from
eating these products. The recall is occurring because a sample in a
grocery store in Canada was found through random screening to contain E.
coli O157:H7. No other Dole salad products are involved.
Eric Schwartz, President, Dole Fresh Vegetables, stated: "Our
overriding concern is for consumer safety. We are working closely with
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Canadian Food Inspection
Agency, and several U.S. state health departments."
Consumers who may still have any of the "Dole Hearts Delight" salads
with a "best if used by date" of September 19 and a production code of
"A24924A" or "A24924B" should dispose of the product. This product was
sold in Ontario, Quebec and the Maritime Provinces in Canada and in
Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, Tennessee and neighboring states in the U.S. Consumers
can call the Dole Consumer Center toll-free at 800-356-3111. Consumers
are reminded that products should not be consumed after the "best if
used by" date.
Dole Food Company, Inc., with 2006 revenues of $6.2 billion, is the
world's largest producer and marketer of high-quality fresh fruit, fresh
vegetables and fresh-cut flowers. Dole markets a growing line of
packaged and frozen foods and is a produce industry leader in nutrition
education and research.
This release contains "forward-looking statements," within the meaning
of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve a
number of risks and uncertainties. Forward looking statements, which are
based on management's current expectations, are generally identifiable
by the use of terms such as "may," "will," "expects," "believes,"
"intends" and similar expressions. The potential risks and uncertainties
that could cause actual results to differ materially from those
expressed or implied herein include weather-related phenomena; market
responses to industry volume pressures; product and raw materials
supplies and pricing; changes in interest and currency exchange rates;
economic crises and security risks in developing countries;
international conflict; and quotas, tariffs and other governmental
actions. Further information on the factors that could affect Dole's
financial results is included in its SEC filings, including its Annual
Report on Form 10-K.