The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration have issued two safety notices this month involving deli-style ham and tuna salads produced by Reser’s Fine Foods. Both alerts cite the potential presence of Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium that can cause serious illness in pregnant individuals, newborns, older adults and people with weakened immune systems.
On July 21, the FDA recalled several tuna salad products sold in deli tubs, sandwiches and snack packs across at least seven southern and midwestern states. A few days later, the USDA issued a public health alert—without a formal recall—for two ham salad products made with breadcrumbs linked to the same contamination concern. The ham salads were shipped to food service and retail locations in the same region.
No illnesses have been confirmed. Both warnings were issued as a precaution.
The affected products include 12-ounce tubs of Reser’s Fine Foods Ham Salad with a sell-by date of September 1, 2025, and 5-pound tubs of Molly’s Kitchen Ham Salad with a sell-by date of August 31, 2025. The recalled tuna salad items have sell-by or sell-thru dates between July 16 and July 19, 2025, and were distributed under various labels.
Although these products were not initially sold in California, food safety officials note that regional foods can enter other markets through redistribution, especially near the end of their shelf life.
Because the ham salad alert is not a recall, some items may still be in circulation. Consumers are advised to check packaging, avoid eating any matching products, and clean surfaces the food may have touched. Symptoms of listeria infection include fever, nausea, muscle aches and stomach upset, which may appear days or weeks after exposure.
More information and updated product lists can be found at fsis.usda.gov and fda.gov/safety/recalls.
