Just as in the United States, the recall of Wawona peaches, plums, nectarines, and pluots for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination has been extended in Canada to include more packing dates. No illnesses have been reported to date, but listeriosis, the illness caused by Listeria monocytogenes bacteria, can take up to 70 days to manifest.
You can see the long list of recalled products at the CFIA web site, along with UPC and PLU numbers and package sizes. You can also see pictures of the recalled items. All pack dates from 152 to 198, inclusive, are now recalled. Retail cartons may have the brand names Wawona, Sweet 2 Eat, or Harvest Sweet. Stickers on individual fruit have the Sweet 2 Eat brand name.
The products include organic and conventionally-grown black plums, yellow nectarines, white peaches, yellow peaches, white nectarines, peaches, red plums, red pluots, green pluots, and black pluots. If you have these recalled products in your home, discard them in a double bag or return to the place of purchase for a refund. Wash your hands after handling these items, or wear gloves.
Then clean your kitchen with a mild bleach solution to kill the bacteria. Listeria monocytogenes can grow at refrigerator temperatures, so it’s important to clean the inside of the fridge as well as counters, handles, and the rest of the kitchen.
If you ate any of the recalled items, monitor yourself for the symptoms of listeriosis for the next 70 days. They include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness. Pregnant women may only have a mild illness, but listeriosis can cause premature delivery, miscarriage, stillbirth, or infection of the newborn. If you are sick, please see your doctor and tell her you ate recalled product.
The reason Wawona states that no illness has been found is because the refuse to return your call when you tell them that you are sick from eating there fruit.