Fresh fruit recalled over potential listeria concerns

UNITED STATES – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is recalling 1,727 cartons of fresh peaches, 1,207 cartons of fresh nectarines, and 365 cartons of fresh plums due to concerns of listeria contamination.

According to the FDA, the fresh fruit was distributed by New York company Jac. Vandenburg, Inc., in various stores across Alabama, California, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Virginia.

It is believed that these fruits may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, which is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail, or elderly people, as well as those with weakened immune systems. Symptoms include high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Listeria infection can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

So far no illnesses have been reported; officials say the recall was the result of a routine sampling program by the packing house, which revealed that the products contained the bacteria. The company has halted distribution of the product as the investigation into the cause of the problem continues.

For more information, including the full list of recalled products and their locations, click here.