A recall of broccoli sold in Walmart has been escalated to the highest level.
The FDA revealed that routine testing of 12-oz bags of Marketside Broccoli Florets – sold across 20 states – had detected the bacteria listeria in one batch.
None of the broccolis included in the recall remain on grocery store shelves, but officials fear they could still be lurking in customers’ freezers.
The FDA has updated the recall as a ‘Class I’ as the broccoli has ‘the potential to be contaminated with the bacteria listeria, which infects around 1,600 Americans each year and kills up to 260.
A ‘Class I’ recall is a ‘situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death’.
Consumption of food contaminated with listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns.
Symptoms healthy people may experience include high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.
In more serious cases, it can cause confusion, loss of balance and convulsions if it spreads to the nervous system.
A batch of 12-oz broccoli florets sold at Walmart for $2.47 each is being recalled over fears it could be contaminated with listeria
In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn.
In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics.
People have been urged to throw out the contaminated broccoli or to return it to stores for a full refund.
No illnesses or deaths have been reported to date in the recall, but officials are urging anyone who believes they were sickened by the broccoli to report their illness.
Revealing the recall, officials said testing by the Texas Department of Health had detected the bacteria in one of several batches sold in their state.
The broccoli has been sold in 20 states: Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
It has a sell-by date of December 10, and a lot code – found printed on the front of the bag – of BFFG327A6.
The broccoli was manufactured by Braga Fresh, which sells greens such as salads, celery and parsley to major grocery stores.
In 2022, Walmart named Braga Fresh as its produce supplier of the year.
Listeria can contaminate everything from raw vegetables, unpasteurized dairy and deli meats, and is behind about 47 recalls every year.
Listeria contamination was behind several major recalls last year, including a recall of 10million pounds of beef and poultry used in ready-to-eat meals.
It was also behind a major recall of Boar’s Head products, with the outbreak leading to 10 deaths and 61 people sickened by tainted deli meat.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
