Recall of Peaches, Plums, and Nectarines Due to Listeria Outbreak
Peaches, plums, and nectarines distributed by a California-based company are being recalled due to an outbreak of listeria. The recall comes after 11 reported illnesses, including one death and 10 hospitalizations, according to federal safety regulators.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated in a food safety alert that investigators are working to determine if any additional fruit or products made with this fruit may also be contaminated. The CDC has provided more details on the outbreak on their website.
The company responsible for the distribution, HMC Farms, is based in Kingsburg, California. They have voluntarily recalled peaches, plums, and nectarines sold between May 1 and November 15 of this year, as well as during the same period in 2022. The recall notice can be found on the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) website. Listeria was discovered in a sample of HMC Farms peaches during testing conducted by the FDA in late October.
The recalled fruit was sold nationwide by various retailers including Walmart and Sam's Clubs. Consumers are advised that the fruit may be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes, which can cause serious and potentially fatal infections.
Listeria Outbreak
As of Nov. 17, the people sickened in the listeria outbreak reside in seven states: California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan and Ohio, according to the CDC. One person died in California and another became sick while pregnant and had preterm labor, the agency noted.
Listeria infections can cause serious, and sometimes fatal, illness in young children, frail or elderly people, as well as others with weakened immune systems, according to the CDC. Healthy people may experience symptoms including high fever, severe headache and stomach pain. The organism can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths.
The recalled fruit was sold in 2-pound bags branded "HMC Farms" or "Signature Farms," or as individual fruit that has a "USA-E-U" code and a number, as follows:
- Yellow peach: 4044 or 4038
- White peach: 4401
- Yellow nectarine: 4036 or 4378
- White nectarine: 3035
- Red plum: 4042
- Black plum: 4040
The recall does not include organically grown fruit, the company and CDC noted (See images of all of the recalled fruit products here).
Consumers should check their homes, including their freezers, for the recalled fruit and discard it, agency said. Anyone with questions can call the company at (844) 483-3867, Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time.
