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When a pathogen gets into the food supply chain, it can be catastrophic. Recalls due to contamination from salmonella, E. coli, and listeria are a way of life in America because of the way our food is grown, processed, and distributed.
These recalls expose the precarious nature of our food supply. Because so much of our packaged produce, meat, and other foods are not-so-secretly handled by a handful of companies, a single point of contamination can cause a national outbreak.
That’s what happened when romaine lettuce–most of which is grown and packaged by a single supplier–became tainted with E. coli. A similar cascade of recalls happened over the summer when bagged salads from Fresh Express were recalled because of the microscopic parasite cyclospora.
Fresh Express manufactures bagged salads under its own name, but they also produce salad mixes for store brands like ALDI. These private label products make it even more difficult to trace outbreaks of food-borne illness.
This week, Country Fresh announced a recall of cut fresh fruit because of a possible listeria contamination. The fruit was sold at Walmart and Racetrac gas stations. Initially, the recall only applied to products containing watermelon. However, that list quickly expanded to include containers of sliced apples, grapes, mangos, pineapples, and cantaloupes.
“The recall is a precautionary measure due to a possible health risk from Listeria monocytogenes detected on equipment used in an area near where these products are packed,” the company announced. “FDA discovered these findings during a recent inspection.”
If you purchased fresh cut fruit in a clear plastic container from Walmart or Racetrac, check the package. The “best by” dates range from October 3 to October 11.
The recall is currently limited to nine states: Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. However, it’s always possible that the recall might be expanded.
Don’t eat the fruit; throw it away immediately. Make sure to check your freezer, too, since this type of pre-sliced fruit could be used for smoothies.
Listeria is one of the most deadly food-borne pathogens. About one in five people who get sick from listeria will die from the illness. Pregnant women and babies are at the highest risk, since listeria is known to cause pregnancy complications, miscarriage, and infant death.
Although usually associated with food products like soft cheese, cured meats, and hard-boiled eggs, listeria can also be found in fruit. One of the deadliest outbreaks of food-borne illness was traced back to a bad batch of cantaloupe.
If this bacterium gets into your central nervous system, it can cause meningitis and encephalitis. It’s the main reason that pregnant women are warned against eating soft cheeses.
Walmart has already begun removing the fruit from its shelves. However, it’s smart to be vigilant about similar products if you have a weakened immune system or are pregnant, just to be safe.
