UPDATE: Costco, IGA chicken salad recall; possible Listeria contamination

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – Salads made with pre-cooked chicken have been pulled out of the coolers at Costco and IGA stores in B.C. in a recall triggered by an inspection by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Originally the recall covered in Kirkland Signature brand roasted chicken salads at Costco in Kelowna, Kamloops and the company’s stores across the country. It as since been expanded to include chicken salads sold at IGA and Sobey's.

The Inspection Agency is recalling the chicken salad due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

The CFIA is warning people not to eat the Costco recalled product with Best Before dates up to and including April 3, 2015. The agency says the salad should be thrown out or returned to the Costco where it was purchased. The product has been recalled from Costco stores in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador.

The same warning has been issued for a variety of salads sold at IGA and Sobey's in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Food contaminated with Listeria may not look or smell bad, but it can still make you very sick, according to the CFIA website. Symptoms of Listeria poisoning can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache and neck stiffness. Pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems re particularly at risk.

The CFIA says there haven’t been any illnesses reported as a result of people eating the chicken in the salads.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Howard Alexander at halexander@infonews.ca or call 250-491-0331. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.