Fruits Tainted With Listeria Sold At VA Stores Sicken 11; 1 Death

VIRGINIA — Three fruits were sold at major retailers in Virginia that have been linked to a listeria outbreak that sickened 11 people — killing one and leaving 10 hospitalized.

As Patch reported Nov. 21, whole peaches, plums and nectarines distributed nationwide were recalled after 11 people across seven states became infected with the outbreak strain of listeria. Cases were reported in California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan and Ohio. One person from California died, and a woman who got sick while pregnant had preterm labor.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned that the fruits were sold at major retailers across the country, including Walmart, Sam’s Club, Publix, ALDI, Sprouts and Albertsons banner stores (such as Acme, Balducci’s, Carrs, Pavilions, and Shaw’s).

Stores Affected

The recalled fruit was distributed nationwide and sold at retail stores in bags or as individual pieces of fruit, the FDA said. Below is the updated list.

• Publix
• Walmart & Sam’s Club
• Albertsons Company banner stores: ACME, Albertsons, Balducci’s Food Lovers Market, Carrs, Eagle, Haggen, Kings Food Markets, Lucky, Pavilions, Safeway, Shaw’s, Star Market, and Vons in AK, Southern CA, CO, CT, DE, ID, ME, MD, MA, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, ND, OR, PA, RI, SD, UT, VT, VA, D.C., WA, and WY.
• ALDI stores in AL, AR, DE, GA, IL, IA, KS, KY, MI, MS, MO, NE, NJ, NC, OK, PA, SC, TN, WI, and VA (includes individual peaches and 2-pound bags of peaches, nectarines, or plums).
• Sprouts Farmers Market

The fruits, described as conventional and non-organic, were sold in retail stores from May 1, 2022 through Nov. 15, 2022, and from May 1, 2023 through Nov. 15, 2023. The recalled fruit was sold at retail stores nationwide in bags or as individual pieces of fruit with PLU stickers, under multiple brand names.

Individual pieces of fruit with PLU stickers on the fruit labeled USA-E-U, containing the following numbers:

• Yellow peach: 4044 or 4038
• White peach: 4401
• Yellow nectarine: 4036 or 4378
• White nectarine: 3035
• Red plum: 4042
• Black plum: 4040
• HMC Farms: peaches, plums, or nectarines sold in HMC Farms-branded bags
• Signature Farms: peaches or nectarines sold in Signature Farms-branded bags and labeled with 6359 printed on a white sticker on the bag.

Additionally, the recalled fruit was sold to other manufacturers who may have frozen or relabeled the recalled fruit for resale under another brand, the FDA said. The firm has notified their customers who received recalled fruits, the agency said.

“Do not eat, sell, or serve recalled peaches, plums, or nectarines,” the FDA said. “The recalled fruit is no longer available for sale and any previously purchased fruit should be past shelf life.”

Symptoms of listeriosis usually start within two weeks after eating food contaminated with Listeria. They can start as early as the same day or as late as 10 weeks later, the FDA said. Mild symptoms may include fever, muscle aches, nausea, tiredness, vomiting, and diarrhea. More severe symptoms can include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions.

Listeria will most likely sicken pregnant people, newborns, adults who are 65 or older, and those with weakened immune systems.