CDC investigates bat found in Fresh Express salad sold at Florida Wal-Mart

April 09--Florida health officials are investigating reports that a prepackaged Fresh Express salad sold at a Wal-Mart store contained a dead bat.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Florida Department of Health and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration say the bat was sent to the CDC to be tested for rabies.

According to the CDC, two people in the state reported eating some of the salad before they found the bat.

On Saturday, Fresh Express issued a recall of the Organic Marketside spring mix that were sold in a clear plastic container. The production code was G089B19 and it had a best-if-used-by-date of April 14 on the front label. CDC officials said the salads were only distributed to Wal-Mart stores in the Southeast.

The CDC said transmission of rabies by eating a rabid animal is uncommon and the virus doesn't live long outside of the infected animal, but anyone who thinks they may have eaten one of the salads that had animal products should contact their local health departments.

The two people who are known to have eaten the contaminated salads began post-exposure rabies treatment as a precaution, but "report being in good health," according to the CDC.

Health officials said anyone who purchased one of the salads should discard it and contact the Fresh Express Consumer Response Center at 800-242-5472.

jareddick@orlandosentinel.com, 407-420-5268 or Twitter @jbreddick

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