Australia: Growers call on consumers to continue to buy veg and salad products currently on the shelves

Vegetable peak industry body AUSVEG is reassuring families across Australia in the lead-up to Christmas that leafy vegetable products that are available on the shelves of your favourite supermarket, greengrocer or market are not included in the current recall of some spinach products, which is limited to spinach from a single farm in Victoria.

“Food Standards Australia New Zealand has issued recalls relating to a small selection of spinach products, and is working through the supply chain with relevant jurisdictions to ensure any other affected products are identified,” said AUSVEG CEO Michael Coote.

“The health and safety of our consumers is the top priority for our industry, so we urge anyone with those recalled products to dispose of them, and seek medical attention if you are concerned about your health.”

“Given the affected products have originated from a single farm, and all affected products are being removed from shelves, Australian consumers can be confident in other spinach and leafy salad products that are currently available for sale, which are unaffected by the recall.”

“The past 12-months have been the most difficult in recent times for our industry. While all growers have faced significant increases to costs of production, floods and consistent rain and critical labour shortages this year, leafy salad and spinach growers have had it particularly tough during this period.”

“We have spoken to growers who have experienced reduced orders and drops in sales who are not even in the same state as the source of the recalled spinach, which is an avoidable situation that hurts the entire industry.”

“Vegetable growers were hopeful that a busy and productive Christmas and festive season would be a buoyant finish to what has been the hardest year for vegetable producers in recent memory.”

“We urge consumers to support their local growers and continue to buy plenty of fresh salad products in the lead-up to the festive season and in the summer period, which will be in high supply and good value across Australia.”

Currently, the recalled products are:

• Riviera Farms branded baby spinach, for sale at Costco Wholesale in NSW, ACT & VIC with Use By dates from 16 Dec 22 up to and including 28 Dec 22.
• Fresh Salad Co Fresh and Fast Stir Fry, for at ALDI stores in VIC with Use By date of 24 Dec 22.
• Woolworths Chicken Cobb Salad and Woolworths Chickpea Falafel Salad, for sale at Woolworths and Woolworths Metro stores in NSW, ACT, QLD and VIC.
  • Woolworths Chicken Cobb Salad 270g with Use By date of 20 Dec.
  • Woolworths Chickpea Falafel Salad 290g Use By dates of 20 Dec and 22 Dec.
• Eleven Coles Own Brand products containing spinach, sold in Coles Supermarkets, Coles Local, Coles Express and through Coles Online in NSW, VIC, ACT, QLD, NT and SA, with Use By dates between 17 Dec 22 and 23 Dec 22.