Key Takeaways

It all started with pineapple, the culprit behind the recent recalls of frozen fruit products across stores in the United States. Make sure to check those packaged fruits in your freezer to avoid accidentally making aListeria-spiked smoothie.

The products in question are sold at a variety of national grocery chains, including Walmart, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Target, Aldi, and AWG (Associated Wholesale Grocers). There have been no illnesses associated with these voluntary recalls to date, according to the FDA.

Why IsListeriaDangerous?

AListeriainfection (listeriosis) is more of an unpleasant inconvenience for most people, according toBrian Labus, PhD, MPH, REHS, an assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

“But for adults 65 and over of those with weakened immune systems, it can cause a much more serious disease that can spread throughout the body,” Labus told Verywell.

Most people infected withListeriadevelop a mild gastrointestinal illness that causes diarrhea and vomiting, which goes away on its own in a couple of days, Labus explained.

But in some high-risk groups such as young children, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals, listeriosis can spread beyond the gut and cause problems with the nervous system such as headache, stiff neck, loss of balance, convulsions or confusion. In some cases, it can even become life-threatening.

The only way to know whether you’re infected is through laboratory testing, as the disease doesn’t have any unique symptoms that make it easy to identify, Labus added.

Some research shows that the effects of climate change, including warmer temperatures and water scarcity, can fuelListeriaoutbreaks and increase their prevalence as the environment changes.

“Listeriacan be found widely in the environment, so any changes to the environment can lead to changes in the risk of contamination,” Labus said.

But listeriosis is most closely related to food processing, he said, as it grows in high-salt, low-temperature environments—and we regularly use salt and refrigeration to protect our food from spoilage and pathogens.

The Recalled Products

To avoid becoming ill with listeriosis from frozen fruit products, check your freezer and reference your products to theFDA announcementsfor thespecific product codesand expiration dates.

Here are the recalled products:

Walmart

Sold at stores in AR, AZ, CA, CO, DC, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MN, MO, MT, ND, NE, NM, NV, OH, OK, OR, PA, SD, TX, UT, VA, WV and WY from January 19, 2023 to June 13, 2023.

Whole Foods

Distributed to stores throughout the U.S. from November 1, 2022 to June 21, 2023

Trader Joe’s

Distributed to select distribution centers or stores in AK, AL, CT, CO, DE, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, and Washington DC from March 28, 2023 to April 11, 2023

Target

Distributed nationwide from October 14, 2022 to May 22, 2023.

Aldi

Distributed to select distribution centers or stores in AL, AR, CT, FL, GA, IA, KS, KY, MA, MD, MI, MO, MS, NC, NE, NH, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT and WV from October 11, 2022 to May 22, 2023.

AWG (Associated Wholesale Grocers)

Distributed to select distribution centers or stores in KS, MO, NE and OK from April 5, 2023 to May 4, 2023.

Cadia’s Organic Pineapple was alsorecalled. The product was distributed to stores in CA, IL, IN, FL, MD, OR, and TX. If you do find one of the above products in your kitchen, you’re advised to either dispose of it immediately or return it to the store for a refund.

What This Means For YouTake a good look in your freezer to see if you may have any of the recalled products, and check the product codes listed in the FDA announcements to confirm. If you have any of the potentially contaminated items, either throw them away or return them to the store for a refund.

What This Means For You

Take a good look in your freezer to see if you may have any of the recalled products, and check the product codes listed in the FDA announcements to confirm. If you have any of the potentially contaminated items, either throw them away or return them to the store for a refund.

1 SourceVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Chersich MF, Scorgie F, Rees H, Wright CY.How climate change can fuel listeriosis outbreaks in South Africa.S Afr Med J. 2018;108(6):453-454. doi:10.7196/samj.2018.v108i6.13274

1 Source

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Chersich MF, Scorgie F, Rees H, Wright CY.How climate change can fuel listeriosis outbreaks in South Africa.S Afr Med J. 2018;108(6):453-454. doi:10.7196/samj.2018.v108i6.13274

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Chersich MF, Scorgie F, Rees H, Wright CY.How climate change can fuel listeriosis outbreaks in South Africa.S Afr Med J. 2018;108(6):453-454. doi:10.7196/samj.2018.v108i6.13274

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