An expanded, large-scale recall of deli salads, chicken, fish and other packaged foods because of potential contamination by Listeria bacteria has affected multiple southwest Ohio groceries, including Walmart, Kroger and Meijer.

The recalls, first announced last week but significantly expanded over the weekend, included hundreds of prepared salads produced by Oregon-based Reser’s Fine Foods at a Kansas manufacturing plant. It follows an investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration after Canadian health inspectors discovered the listeria contamination through lab testing.

Listeria monocytogenes bacteria can cause severe and sometimes fatal infections, especially to older adults, pregnant women, newborns, and adults with weakened immune systems.

There have been no confirmed illnesses linked with the recalled products. For a full list of recalled products, go to this FDA web site: www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm372345.htm.

Southwest Ohio Kroger stores have removed the recalled salads from their shelves, posted warning signs in their stores and are in the process of notifying customers who purchased the products while using a Kroger loyalty card, a spokeswoman for the Cincinnati-based grocer said today.

Meijer stores sold two products that were part of the salad recall: Reser’s Deviled Egg Potato Salad and its own Markets of Meijer Broccoli Crunch Slaw, which was made with a dressing that is on the recall list, according to a Meijer spokesman.

Walmart spokeswoman Dianna Gee said this morning that a handful of products subject to the recall were sold at both Walmart and Sam’s Club stores. The company notified stores to pull the products off the shelves and to block checkout registers from selling any of the products. Walmart customers and Sam’s Club members who believe they still have affected products may return the products for a refund, the Walmart spokeswoman said.