Production at Outpost Natural Foods‘ central facility in Bay View has been temporarily shut down since Friday after a number of ready-made products tested positive for Salmonella bacteria and insanitary conditions were found during a routine inspection.
The State Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection has suspended the cooperative’s meat establishment license and the City of Milwaukee has suspended the cooperative’s retail food processing activities, DATCP announced Friday.
The Milwaukee-based cooperative grocer has recalled affected products made at the facility, located at 2826 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. Those items include cold salads, pizzas, wraps, ready-to-heat entrees such as burritos, pot pies, savory turnovers, select hot bar items and Outpost labeled bakery items, according to an announcement posted on its website.
A list of requirements must be met before Outpost’s licenses can be reinstated, said DATCP public information officer Leeann Duwe.
“We are making efficiency checks to make sure any affected products are pulled and anything with in license requirements or direction to not sell are followed,” Duwe said. “We are coordinating with the City of Milwaukee to make sure information about the recall has gone out appropriately to customers.”
Outpost said it is unknown whether the bacteria originated from purchased ingredients or the facility.
“We are following the DATCP directive and temporarily stopping production out of the central kitchen until we determine the origin,” according to the recall announcement.
Once Outpost’s licenses are reinstated, DATCP will work with the grocer to plan follow-up inspections that will ensure food safety requirements are being met.
All four Outpost locations remain open for business. A complete list of recalled food products is available at Outpost’s website. Customers are instructed to discard or return recalled products purchased between August 19 and August 23 and collect a refund or store credit.
Any of the products mentioned above and purchased at Outpost should be discarded or returned to any Outpost location for a refund or credit.
