If you’re thinking about what kind of veggie side you’re going to prep for dinner tonight, you might want to listen up: A cucumber recall from earlier this month has been expanded to include additional produce, according to the Ohio Department of Health. The reason? The stuff may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a type of bacteria that can be particularly dangerous to pregnant people and their unborn babies.
On July 12, Wiers Farm Inc. of Willard, Ohio, announced a voluntary recall of a limited number of whole cucumbers and bagged salad cucumbers due to potential Listeria contamination, according to a news release shared by the FDA on July 16. Wiers Farm said the company was not involved in growing or harvesting the cukes (which were sourced from out of state), only handling and distributing them.
The affected products—whole cucumbers packed on June 5 as well as two-pound bags of salad cucumbers packed on June 5 and 6—were distributed at select Walmart locations in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio, according to the announcement. Wiers Farm said the potential contamination was discovered by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development via routine sampling, and that the company would work with the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) to “ensure a swift resolution.”
Then on July 22, Wiers Farm announced that the recall had been expanded in response to that investigation, according to a news release shared by the ODA. Per the announcement, the recall now covers a range of other vegetables and herbs packed between July 5 and 12, including squash, cilantro, parsley, tomatillos, green beans, bell peppers, habanero peppers, and jalapeño peppers.
And the geographic range has increased, too Now 18 states in the Northeast, Midwest, and South are involved: In addition to Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio, some of the affected products reached Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, Missouri, Rhode Island, Maine, and North Carolina, according to the announcement.
There, the veggies and herbs—which include both retail packaged items as well as bulk produce sold individually or by the pound—hit the shelves of some major grocery chains: Wiers Farm said they were sold in Walmart, Aldi, Kroger, and Save-a-Lot stores, among others. For more information on specific UPC codes, and which products were distributed to which store locations, check out the release.
As of July 22, no illnesses or other consumer complaints have been reported, Wiers Farm noted. But you can get sick from eating food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes: It can cause a foodborne illness called listeriosis, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Symptoms can include fever, chills, headache, diarrhea, and nausea and vomiting, and typically show up within two weeks of eating the food. Pregnant people, folks 65 and older, and those who are immunocompromised are at higher risk of serious illness. If not treated in time, listeriosis can cause miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth, and death in newborn babies.
So if you bought any of the affected produce, you’ll want to toss it right away. And if you already ate it and are experiencing any of the symptoms above, seek medical attention. For more info, you can contact Wiers Farms by calling (419) 933-2161 or emailing [email protected]. But in the meantime, maybe consider replacing your standard sad desk salad with one of these deliciously summery alternatives.
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