January 28, 2019
Diego Duarte Cereceda/Unsplash
Nectarines are a part of the multi-state stone fruit recall.
Thousands of pounds of fresh plums, nectarines and peaches have been recalled due to potential Listeria contamination, according to a statement issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
New York-based Jac. Vandenberg Inc., the company that distributed the fruit to Aldi, Costco and Walmart locations across 18 states, issued the recall for 1,727 cartons of fresh peaches, 1,207 cartons of fresh nectarines and 365 cartons of fresh plums. The company found listeria monocytogenes on some finished products through routine sampling, the FDA said.
The company has ceased the distribution of the product as FDA and the company continue their investigation into the cause of the problem, according to the statement.
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While there have been no reported cases, the bacteria "can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems," the FDA said in its announcement. A listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women, according to the agency. It can also cause people to experience abdominal pain, diarrhea and high fever.
The FDA says the fresh peaches, nectarines, and plums were distributed in Alabama, California, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia and Virginia. The peaches and nectarines are sold as a bulk retail produce item with PLU sticker (PLU# 4044, 3035, 4378) showing the country of origin of Chile.
In Pennsylvania and New Jersey, potentially-contaminated nectarines and peaches were sold in Walmart stores. The recall also affects nectarines distributed to Walmart stores in Maryland, New York, Virginia and West Virginia and peaches distributed to Walmart stores in Kentucky, New York, Ohio and West Virginia.
The peaches, nectarines and plums sold at ALDI locations — including Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia — are packaged in a two-pound bag with the brand Rio Duero, EAN# 7804650090281, 7804650090298, 7804650090304.
The nectarines sold at Costco in California are packaged in a 4-pound plastic clamshell with the brand Rio Duero, EAN# 7804650090212.
Consumers who have purchased the fresh peaches, nectarines and plums are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.
