A listeria outbreak linked to peaches, plums and nectarines has sickened people in seven states including Illinois, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday.
According to the CDC, as many as 11 people reported illnesses as part of the outbreak. Ten people were hospitalized and one death was reported, the CDC said.
An announcement from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration linked the outbreak to peaches, plums and nectarines from HMC Farms that were distributed nationwide and sold in retail stores between May 1 and Nov.15, in both 2022 and 2023.
As a result, HMC has issued a recall warning for the impacted products.
"The fruit is being recalled because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems," the announcement said.
For people who are pregnant, listeria can also cause pregnancy loss, premature birth or a life-threatening infection, the CDC said.
According to the announcement, the recall applies only to conventionally grown fruit.
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"No organic fruit is being recalled," the announcement went on to say.
Peaches, plums and nectarines currently available for sale at retail and grocery stores are not part of the recall, the announcement added. However, customers are urged to check their freezers for the impacted products.
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"Although the recalled fruit is no longer available in retail stores, consumers may have frozen the recalled fruit at home for later use," the announcement said. "Consumers are urged to check their freezers for the recalled fruit, not consume it, and discard it."
According to the FDA, as many as 10 products, including black and red plums, yellow peaches and yellow and white nectarines were recalled. Some of the products were sold as individual fruit with stickers, while others were sold in two-pound bags branded "HMC Farms" or "Signature Farms," the FDA said.
You can find the full list of products, and what they look like here.
According to the CDC, illnesses were reported in Illinois as well as California, Colorado, Kansas, Michigan, Ohio and Florida.
Listeria symptoms typically begin within two weeks after eating contaminated food, the CDC said, and include fever, flu-like symptoms, headache, confusion, stiff neck and more.
