Fruit Recall 2014: Trader Joe's, Kroger, Costco, and Wal-Mart Among Retailers Reportedly Affected By Contaminated Listeria
A company has recalled fruit from major retailers like Costco, Trader Joe's, Kroger or Wal-Mart in a nationwide effort to get rid of contaminated product, according to CNN.
Wawona Packing Co. is recalling nectarines, peaches, plums on pluots that were packed at the company's warehouse in Cutler, California, between June 1 and July 12. The recall is voluntary.
Wawona said those products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Costo, Trader Joe's, Kroger and Wal-Mart have posted recall information on their corporate websites.
Testing done at the packing warehouse found the potential contamination, according to the FDA. The warehouse was closed after finding the pathogen, and no further evidence of Listeria was found.
"We are aware of no illnesses related to the consumption of these products," Wawona President Brent Smittcamp said in a statement. "By taking the precautionary step of recalling product, we will minimize even the slightest risk to public health, and that is our priority."
Listeria monocytogenes contamination can lead to Listeriosis, which can cause stomach problems, fever and muscle aches. As with most infections, pregnant women, children and the elderly face a greater risk of illness.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention claims about 1,600 illnesses and 260 deaths are caused by Listeriosis each year in the U.S.
While there have been no official reports of Listeriosis in connection with the Wawona recall, one Colorado woman said she got sick from eating peaches that have since been recalled.
Denver's CBS affiliate reported that Rebecca Winter got sick about 10 days after eating Wawona peaches.
"I don't know what you could possibly do. I wash everything, and I did wash them. Maybe I could have washed them more carefully," she said.
A Colorado state health department employee said that there is no safe way to wash the Listeria contamination off these fruits and that the best thing to do to avoid getting sick is to return them of throw the fruit away.
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