For those who live in the United States and have bought any frozen fruits or vegetables from in the past two years, pay attention.
A Washington-based frozen food manufacturer has recalled almost 360 vegetable and fruit products sold in grocery stores nationwide, including Safeway and Trader Joe’s. This recall is due to possible contamination by Listeria. It is expanding on a smaller recall in effect since April.
Any and all products that come from the company CRF Frozen Foods dated as early as May, 2014 and with sell by dates from April 2016 to April 2018 are affected. 8 people in the United States have already been hospitalized due to Listeria. Some cases have been connected directly to this recall the others are still being investigated.
Unfortunately, 2 people have died as a result of Listeria connected with the frozen vegetables associated with the recall. Those frozen vegetables were produced by CRF Frozen Foods of Pascoe, Washington. They are sold under various brand names and appeared to be the source of illness in this outbreak. According to the Centers For Disease Control And Prevention, it is a “complex, ongoing investigation.”
This recall affects frozen fruits and vegetables that appeared on the shelves in grocery stores in all 50 US states and some Canadian provinces. You can find a full list of the products being recalled, including frozen organic sweet yellow corn, organic broccoli florettes, organic chopped kale, organic sweet potatoes and organic wild strawberries on their website.
Listeria causes symptoms that are similar to stomach bugs, such as fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, headache and fever. An average, healthy person could eat food that is contaminated and may not even get sick. For individuals who have a compromised immune system, including pregnant women, babies, elderly individuals and people who are ill, the infection could be serious and potentially deadly. It’s less common than many foodborne pathogens but more lethal. It is responsible for approximately 1,600 illnesses and 260 deaths in the United States every year.
One of the more distressing aspects of this recall is the longevity of freezer foods. We may have these fruits and vegetables hiding in our freezers for years, and Listeria will last right along with them. It can even grow in subzero temperatures!
Because of the heartiness of the bacteria and it’s longevity, it is possible for people to get ill years after purchasing the product. Fortunately, listeria can be killed by heating at high temperatures but it may be best to just clean out your freezer and be safe.
Via: Slate
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