Possible listeria contamination spurs recall of summer fruits

A produce packing company in Cutler, Calif., has issued a voluntary recall of a variety of summer produce which may be contaminated with harmful listeria bacteria.

Wawona Packing Company recalled orders of both organic and conventionally sold whole peaches, nectarines, plums and pluots on Saturday. The company distributes their products to Sam's Club, BJ's Wholesale Club, Trader Joe's, Stop & Shop, Whole Foods, Costco and a number of other large food retailers.

As a result of the recall, Wegman's, a supermarket chain with locations in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Massachusetts, recalled a number of baked goods prepared in the store that contained the possibly contaminated fruits.

There have been no reports of illness associated with consuming the fruit, which was packed and shipped packed between June 1-12.

Listeria monocytogenes is a type of bacteria commonly found in food. A listeriosis infection can be deadly to certain populations, especially children, older adults and individuals with weakened immune systems. Symptoms of a listeria infection include fever, muscle aches, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal distress.

The bacterial infection is especially dangerous to pregnant women and can cause complications including stillbirth, premature delivery, miscarriage and a life-threatening infection in a newborn baby. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 1,600 illnesses and 260 deaths from listeriosis occur each year in the U.S.

The FDA has more information on the recalled fruits on its Web site.

Other foods recently recalled due to listeria contamination include walnuts, hummus, cheese, eggs and bagged spinach.