Federal officials report that contaminated peaches, nectarines, and plums containing Listeria have resulted in one fatality and ten hospitalizations due to food poisoning in seven states.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one premature birth has also resulted from the Listeria outbreak. Due to her illness, one of the hospitalized patients—who was pregnant—went into early labor.
The CDC reports that the Listeria infection-related death happened in California.
Several states, including Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Florida, have reported cases of food poisoning due to stone fruit contaminated with Listeria.
According to the CDC, the outbreak has been linked to whole peaches, plums, and nectarines that HMC Farms produced and sold in 2022 and 2023 between May 1 and November 15 of those years.
According to the CDC, HMC Farms has voluntarily recalled peaches, plums, and nectarines that were sold in retail establishments during that period. Both single fruit and two-pound bags were available for purchase.
Some consumers may have frozen the fruit they bought at home for later use, even though the recalled fruit is no longer available in stores. Customers are being urged by the CDC to inspect their freezers.
The outbreak has nothing to do with the cantaloupe-related Salmonella outbreak that was reported late last week.
According to the CDC, listeria is the third most common cause of foodborne illness in the US.
According to the CDC, pregnant women are ten times more likely than non-pregnant people to contract Listeria, which causes fetal loss in about 20% of cases and neonatal death in 3% of cases.
According to the CDC, persons with compromised immune systems and seniors 65 years of age and older are also at increased risk. Hospitalization is required in about 87% of cases unrelated to pregnancy, and 1 in 6 patients pass away.
According to the CDC, fatigue, aches in the muscles, and fever are typical symptoms. After consuming food contaminated with Listeria, symptoms typically appear two weeks later, but they can also appear the same day or ten weeks later.
According to the CDC, investigators are searching for any additional fruit products that might be tainted with Listeria.
Customers are advised by the CDC to clean their refrigerator, container, and any surfaces that came into contact with the recalled fruit. Listeria is easily transmissible to other foods and surfaces and can survive in a refrigerator.