Wiers Farm Recalls Variety of Produce Items Sold in 18 States Over Possible Listeria Contamination

This 2002 electron microscope image made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a Listeria monocytogenes bacterium, responsible for the food borne illness listeriosis. Elizabeth White/CDC via AP

An Ohio farm has recalled a variety of produce items sold in stores across 18 states amid concerns of possible listeria contamination. The recall is an expansion of an earlier recall.

Wiers Farm voluntarily recalled numerous packaged and bulk vegetables, fruits, and herbs that were packed between July 5 and 12 and were sold at certain Walmart, Kroger, and Aldi stores, among others, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The initial recall was limited to whole and packaged salad cucumbers sold in some Walmart stores in Minnesota, Indiana, and Ohio, the FDA announced on July 16.

After further investigation, the recall was expanded to include the following bagged items sold at certain Walmart stores in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia:

• Wiers Farm Bagged Poblano – UPC 073064202581 – 16 oz. bag
• Wiers Farm Bagged Cubanelle – UPC 073064201836 – 16 oz. bag
• Wiers Farm Bagged Green Beans – UPC 073064200846 – variable weight bag
• Wiers Farm Bagged Salad Cucumber – UPC 073064459619 – 2 lb. bag
• Wiers Farm Bagged Serrano – UPC 073064201829 – 4 oz. bag
• Wiers Farm Organic Bell Pepper – UPC 073064201416 – two-count tray
• Wiers Farm Organic Cucumber – UPC 073064201423 – two-count tray
• Wiers Farm Organic Yellow Squash – UPC 073064201447 – two-count tray
• Wiers Farm Organic Zucchini Squash – UPC 073064201430 – two-count tray

The recall includes two additional bagged items sold at Aldi stores in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia:

• Freshire Farms Bagged Green Beans – 16 oz. bag
• Freshire Farms Bagged Jalapenos – 8 oz. bag

The recall also includes 16 produce items that are sold individually or by the pound at certain Walmart, Save-a-Lot, Kroger, Shop N Save, and other local grocers across the country.

• Anaheim peppers
• Cilantro – sold in bunches
• Cubanelle peppers
• Cucumber – whole
• Green beans
• Green bell peppers
• Habanero peppers
• Hungarian wax peppers
• Jalapeno peppers
• Mustard greens – sold in bunches
• Pickling cucumbers
• Plain parsley – sold in bunches
• Poblano peppers
• Serrano peppers
• Tomatillos

The produce was distributed to stores in these states: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Mixed vegetable boxes sent to food banks in Cleveland and Youngstown, Ohio, are also subject to the recall.

Listeria is a type of bacteria that can cause a serious infection known as Listeriosis that can last up to several weeks. Approximately 1,600 people are infected each year, and about 260 die from it.

“Listeria is most likely to sicken pregnant women and their newborns, adults aged 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems,” according to the CDC. “Other people can become infected with Listeria, but they rarely become seriously ill.”

Products associated with recall should be discarded.