The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Monday that a listeria outbreak associated with whole nectarines, plums, and peaches has led to 10 hospitalizations and 1 death.
HMC Farms, a Californian company, voluntarily recalled fruit that was sold between May 1, 2022 and November 15, 2020 and May 1, 2023.
The recall does NOT include the peaches, nectarines, or plums currently sold in supermarkets.
The fruit affected was sold as two-pound bags with the brand “HMC Farms”, “Signature Farms”, or individually, with an “USA-E.U.” sticker. Here you can view images of the recalled fruits.
The CDC stated that listeria symptoms can include fever, muscle aches and fatigue. They may appear within two weeks of consuming contaminated food. The symptoms can occur the next day, or even 10 weeks later. People who are pregnant or 65 years old, or those with a weak immune system, may be at greater risk.
The fruit should be thrown out immediately or returned to the store by consumers who have purchased it. The CDC stated that refrigerators and surfaces which the recalled fruits touched should be thoroughly washed.
According to the CDC, eleven people were sickened in California, Colorado and Florida. A pregnant woman went into premature labor. Ten people were hospitalized, and one person died in California.
HMC Farms’ spokesperson expressed their sympathy to all those affected.
There is nothing more important for us than to provide safe, high quality fruit to our consumers. Amy Philpott said that the company never wants anyone to get sick from eating fresh fruits. “The company has been working with the FDA for hours to determine how this contamination occurred.”
The CDC stated that the number of people who are sick could be much higher and outbreaks could occur in other states.
The CDC explained that this is because people who recover without medical attention and do not get tested for Listeria are at risk. The CDC said that recent illnesses might not have been reported yet, as it takes about 3 to 4 weeks for a person to be determined to be part of an epidemic.
