NH Health Lab Error Leads To Incorrect Recall Of lēf Farms Spice Packaged Salad Greens

CONCORD, NH — The director of the public health services division in New Hampshire issued a formal apology Thursday after reporting a lab in New Hampshire had errored in its data which led to the recalling of lēf Farms packaged greens grown in Loudon.

About a week ago, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services issued an alert that “spice” packaged greens by the company may have been potentially contaminated with Escherichia coli O157 bacteria or E. coli. lēf Farms issued a recall of the potentially affected product to prioritize health and safety. After the recall, Tricia Tilley, the division of Public Health Services director, said genome sequencing was conducted. The testing determined the control sample and the lēf Farms sample were nearly identical — indicating the initial lab results were inaccurate due to a contamination error within the lab.

“I wish to apologize to lēf Farms, their customers, and the public for this unfortunate event,” she said. “lēf Farms’ quick and decisive actions put the health of their customers first. Their products are safe for consumers. We appreciate that lēf Farms has been a willing partner in this process. While this situation is unprecedented, our dedicated staff will embrace all corrective actions to ensure it will not occur again.”

With the recall canceled, lēf Farms’ Spice greens returned to store shelves at Hannaford and Market Basket stores around New England and New York.

“After a two-day inspection of lēf Farms’ facility and products,” Shawn Jasper, the state commissioner of Agriculture, Markets, and Food, said, “what we discovered was a company that operates at the highest level of food safety and integrity. We are working closely with the FDA and lēf Farms to make this right.”

This is the first time a New Hampshire lab has reported a false positive in more than 20 years of routine testing.

lēf Farms is a subsidiary of BrightFarms — a national leader in the booming indoor farming industry, transforming how produce is grown and delivered with its expanding network of high-tech, sustainable hydroponic farms.

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