The Food and Drug Administration says there’s a chance that any number of peaches, plums, nectarines, and pluots handled by the Wawona Packing Company of Cutler, California, between June 1 and July 12 may be contaminated by listeria. The voluntary recall includes fruit sold as individual pieces as well as fruit packed in a variety of clamshell containers, wholesale boxes, cartons, and mesh bags; the produce was distributed to retailers including Trader Joe’s, Costco and even FreshDirect.
The pathogen was reportedly discovered through Wawona Packing’s internal company testing, and while no illnesses have yet been reported, the federal agency implies that it may take time to gather meaningful data. “Because we do not know the locations of the companies that purchased the products from our direct customers, the company is issuing a nationwide recall,” it says. A 2011 outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes that killed 30 people in 28 states and sickened scores of others was ultimately traced to a cantaloupe packing plant in Colorado.
Fruit Recall Hits Trader Joe’s, Costco, Wal-Mart Stores [NPR]
Recall – Firm Press Release [FDA]
