Wawona Packing Company of Cutler, Calif has voluntarily recalled certain batches of white and yellow peaches, nectarines, plums, and pluots due to a potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination.
The company has informed retailers of the specific lots being recalled. No illnesses have been linked to the contaminated produce at this time, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported.
Consumers can identify the recalled products using the information provided in this list. Anyone who is in possession of the contaminated products should not consume them and safely dispose of them immediately. Consumers with questions can contact Wawona Packing directly at 1-888-232-9912, on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time or visit www.wawonapacking.com.
The recall was initiated after internal company testing was performed and found traces of the contaminant, since then daily tests have come up negative. In response to the contamination the company "shut down the implicated packing lines, retrofitted equipment, sanitized the facility and retested."
"We are aware of no illnesses related to the consumption of these products" Brent Smittcamp, President of Wawona Packing Co. said in an FDA statement. "By taking the precautionary step of recalling product, we will minimize even the slightest risk to public health, and that is our priority."
Listeria is a foodborne bacterial illness that can cause serious complications in pregnant women as well as people with impaired immune systems, Mayo Clinic reported. Symptoms of infection include: fever; nausea; muscle aches; and diarrhea. If the infection spreads to a patients' nervous system symptoms can include: "headache; stiff neck; confusion or changes in alertness; loss of balance; and convulsions," Mayo Clinic reported.
