Little Bear Vidalia onions are being recalled for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with the consumption of these onions. The recalling firm is A&M Farms of Lyons, Georgia.
The onions were packed on one pack line between June 20 and June 23, 2022. Consumers can identify the recalled Little Bear Vidalia onions by the purchase locations, PLU number 4159, and the Little Bear brand on the PLU sticker. The onions were sold in bulk in the produce section of certain retail stores.
The onions were available for sale June 23 and 24, 2022 at Wegmans stores in the Rochester New York area, in Massachusetts, and at the Erie West and Erie Peach Street Wegmans stores in Pennsylvania. The onions were also available for sale June 22 to 24, 2022 at Publix stores in the state of Florida and in Publix stores in Georgia in Barrow, Clarke, DeKalb, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Oconee, and Walton counties.
In addition, 6 pound bagged Vidalia sweet onions, with brand Why FFA Matters, lot number CHW032A, and UPC number 026303610067 were shipped to Washington D.C. on June 21, 2022, and then to a Sam’s Club distribution center in North Carolina, but were destroyed and were not available for consumers to purchase.
The recall was issued after internal company testing found Listeria monocytogenes bacteria on a single pack line. The company does clean and sanitize its pack lines on a regular basis, but it is recalling these onions out of an abundance of caution. The onions were shipped directly to retail distribution centers in Florida, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. They were further distributed to retail stores in Florida, Georgia, New York, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.
If you purchased these onions, do not eat them, even if you plan to cook them first because of the possibility of cross-contamination. You can throw the onions away in a sealed bag in a secure trash can, then take the receipt to the store where you bought them for a refund. Clean the area were you stored the onions with a mild bleach solution, and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling them.
