Massive Frozen Fruit Recall Affects Products Sold at Walmart, Target, and Other Stores

Fact checked by Nick Blackmer

• SunOpta recently announced a voluntary recall of 19 different frozen fruit products due to a possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination, most likely linked to frozen pineapple from a third-party retailer.

• In response to SunOpta’s announcement, Scenic Food Company initiated a recall of additional frozen pineapple products.

• Currently, no reported illness has been linked to the recalls.

Over a dozen types of frozen fruit products sold at retailers such as Walmart, Aldi, Target, and Trader Joe’s have been voluntarily recalled due to possible bacterial contamination, food company SunOpta said on Wednesday.

There’s a chance that the frozen fruit is contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, which can sometimes cause serious or fatal illness in people with weaker immune systems. According to SunOpta, the possible contamination is thought to be linked to pineapple from a third-party supplier.

No related illnesses have been reported so far.

The recall involves 19 different products linked to SunOpta’s subsidiary Sunrise Growers. The fruit was sold under Walmart’s Great Value label, 365 by Whole Foods, and Good & Gather by Target. Consumers could’ve also purchased the recalled product at Aldi, Trader Joe’s, or Associated Wholesale Grocers.

The affected products at Walmart and Trader Joe’s were sold in over 30 states, and at Targets nationwide.

In total, more than 188,000 cases of frozen fruit across the various brands are included in the recall. The possibly-contaminated products were available on store shelves during various months depending on the seller, but most were sold this past winter and spring.

In response to SunOpta’s recall announcement, another organization—Scenic Food Company—initiated their own recall on Thursday due to the possibility of contaminated frozen pineapple. The Scenic Food Company recall includes Trader Joe’s Organic Tropical Fruit Blend as well as Cadia Organic Pineapple which was sold at health food stores in seven states.

All of the possibly-contaminated frozen fruit bags in both recalls can be identified by their “best by” date and lot number. People can check to see if they have any of the recalled products by consulting Food and Drug Administration pages with posted recall lists for both the SunOpta and Scenic Food Company.

If a person does happen to have a recalled product in their freezer, they should throw it away or return it to the store where they purchased it for a refund.

People can reach SunOpta or Scenic Fruit Company with questions by emailing recall@sunrisegrowers.com or customer.service@scenicfruit.com, respectively.

Related: These Are the Top 10 Foods Most Likely to Be Linked to Recalls and Disease Outbreaks

Why Is Listeria Contamination a Concern?

Listeriosis, caused by ingesting the Listeria bacteria, can oftentimes be a serious infection. Past outbreaks have come from unpasteurized milk or cheese, vegetables, fruits, and raw meats.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it’s estimated that 1,600 people get listeriosis each year, and about 260 die.

The illness is particularly a concern for the very young, the elderly, and the immunocompromised—these groups are more likely to have a serious case of listeriosis that can result in fever, muscle aches, headaches, convulsions, infections of the brain or bloodstream, or even death.

The bacteria can also be a danger to pregnant people. Those who are pregnant are ten times more likely to get a Listeria infection, which can be dangerous for them and their unborn child. Listeriosis can cause preterm births, miscarriages, or illness or death in newborns.

Luckily, the majority of people who are infected with Listeria have milder symptoms, such as fever, muscle aches, nausea, or diarrhea, similar to other typical food poisoning symptoms.

No reported illnesses have been linked to the current frozen fruit recalls. But anyone who believes they have previously eaten the recalled frozen fruit should keep an eye out for any possible symptoms, such as fatigue, fever, or muscle aches.

Most mild cases of listeriosis are rarely diagnosed and pass quickly. But if the bacteria spreads from the gut into other parts of the body—a sign of a more severe infection—a person may not notice symptoms for a couple of weeks or even months.

Even if it’s been a while since you may have consumed a recalled product, it’s best to seek medical attention if something seems amiss.

Related: Stomach Flu vs. Food Poisoning: How To Tell the Difference

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Read the original article on Health.