Fresh Express recalled some of its prepackaged salad mix after a dead bat was found inside a container sold in a Florida Wal-mart, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Two people said they found a dead bat in their purchased package, and that they had eaten some of the salad before discovering the animal, according to a CDC statement.
The center added that the bat was sent to its lab to be tested for rabies, but the animal's deteriorated condition did not allow for a conclusive test.
Wal-Mart removed the product from its store shelves.
The company on Saturday announced a recall of a limited quantity of its 5-ounce Organic Marketside Spring Mix packages. The salads were sold in a clear container with production code G089B19 and best-if-used-by date of April 14, 2017. The announcement said the recalled packages were only distributed to Wal-mart stores located in the Southeastern region of the United States.
As a precaution, the pair who ate the salad were recommended to undergo rabies treatment. However, the CDC said transmission of the disease by eating a rabid animal is "extremely uncommon."
"Both people report being in good health and neither has any signs of rabies," the CDC said in the statement.
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Consumers who ate salad from recalled packages without animal matter are not at risk, the CDC added.
Still, Fresh Express advised anyone who has purchased the recalled product to throw it out and not eat it. Those who have questions or wish to receive a full refund for their purchase can call the Fresh Express Consumer Response Center 1-800-242-5472 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern Time.
The CDC said it is working with the Florida Department of Health and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to support an investigation of the incident.
