Washington-based CRF Frozen Foods laid off an additional 61 employees amid an ongoing shutdown at its Pasco, WA plant that has been connected to a listeria contamination.
According to the Tri-City Herald, more than 300 workers have now been laid off since CRF Frozen Foods first issued its recall in April. While the original recalled included 15 varieties of frozen vegetable products, the recall was expanded to more than 400 products sold under 42 separate brands distributed nationally.
The Herald reported the company initiated a temporary layoff of 245 employees on May 10 with plans to bring back the workers once the plant is cleared and production resumes.
The CDC informed CRF it identified eight people from three states who became ill and were hospitalized due to Listeria. Some of these illnesses have been linked to consuming CRF-manufactured or processed products. Two of these individuals later died, though, Listeria was not that cause of death in either person.