Wawona Packing has expanded its recall of fresh, whole peaches, plums, nectarines, and pluots because of possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The recall advisory from the FDA does not mention any illnesses, however listeriosis, the illness caused by Listeria monocytogenes bacteria, can take 70 days to develop. It can take weeks before any illnesses are reported to the FDA. Listeriosis is a reportable disease.
The recall on July 18, 2014 covered specific lots of products packed from June 1 through July 12, 2014. The recall is expanding to cover all products packed in the Wawona Packing Company facility from June 1, 2014 through July 17, 2014 because they haven’t found the source of Listeria bacteria in the facility.
Beginning on July 18, 2014, no products have been packed at the Wawona Packing facility in Cutler, California. Products packed on or after July 18, 2014 outside of the Wawona Packing facility are not affected by this recall.
Consumers can identify the recalled products by information in the photographs you can see on the FDA web site. The brands recalled include Sweet 2 Eat, Sweet 2 Eat Organic, California Tree Fruit, Mrs.Smittcamp’s, and are also packed in private labels. The brands are on the box or stickers placed on individual fruit. According to the photos, the brands were sold at Costco, Sam’s, BJ’s Wholesale Club, and Trader Joe’s.
Other stores that may have sold the recalled fruit include Whole Foods, Cub Foods, Aldi, Kroger, Giants, Martins, Wegmans, Jay C, Dillons, Bakers, Gerbes, Food4less Fremont, King Soopers, City Market, Frys, Fred Meyer, Ralphs, Food4less, FoodsCo, QFC, Smith’s, Hannaford, and Walmart. In addition, Wawona states that “because we do not know the locations of the companies or stores that received the products from our direct customers, the company is issuing a nationwide recall.”
If you have any of the recalled fruit, discard it in a closed container or return to the place of purchase for a refund. Wash your hands well after handling these products. You also need to clean your refrigerator, counters, cupboard and drawer handles, and any surfaces or utensils that came into contact with the fruit. A mild bleach solution of 1 teaspoon bleach in 1 gallon of water will kill the bacteria. Listeria bacteria can survive at refrigerator temperatures.
If you ate any of the recalled fruit, monitor yourself for the symptoms of Listeria monocytogenes food poisoning for the next 70 days. Those include high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Listeria infections can cause miscarriage and stillbirths among pregnant women, even though those women may only be mildly sick. If you have suffered these symptoms, please see your doctor immediately and tell him you ate this recalled product. Listeria can be diagnosed with a spinal tap or a blood test; that is the only way to tell whether or not you are infected.
