Walmart Recalls Packaged Fruit in 9 States

Cut, packaged fruit products being sold by Walmart are being recalled in 9 US States due to possible bacterial contamination. via FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published a voluntary recall of packaged fruits sold by Walmart in nine states, citing possible contamination with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes.

The fruits are being sold in Walmart stores across Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Country Fresh, the company selling the fruits under the Walmart Brand, issued the voluntary recall on Oct. 2. The recall involves their cut or sliced apples, grapes, mangoes, pineapples, and cantaloupe.

“Customers who have any recalled product on the list should not consume it and discard it immediately,” the FDA said.

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. FDA discovered these findings during a recent inspection,” the announcement stated.

According to the agency, Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that “can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems,” and pregnant women who get infected can miscarry or have stillbirths.

The infection “is rare but very serious” compared to other food-related illnesses, it said.

Healthy individuals may still be affected with “short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.”

Country Fresh had not received any reports of illnesses as of Oct. 3, and the Walmart stores carrying the recalled products have been removing them from store shelves and inventories.

The recall affects multiple products in plastic containers with “best if used by” dates between Oct. 3 and Oct. 11. The products include apple slices, grapes, cut mango, pineapple, cantaloupe, as well assorted fruit combinations. The products are:

• 68113118012 APPLE GRAPE TRAY w/ CARMEL 2 lbs 10oz
• 68113118006 GREEN APPLE SLICES 32oz
• 68113118007 MIXED APPLE SLICES 32oz
• 68113118004 RED APPLE SLICES 14oz
• 68113118010 RED APPLE SLICES 32oz
• 68113118014 CANTALOUPE CHUNKS 10oz
• 68113118015 CANTALOUPE CHUNKS 16oz
• 68113118023 SEASONAL FRUIT TRAY 40oz
• 68113135509 SUMMER BLEND 5oz
• 68113135510 TROPICAL BLEND 5oz
• 68113118037 MANGO CHUNK 10oz
• 68113118038 MANGO SPEARS 16oz
• 68113118039 PINEAPPLE GRAPE MANGO BLEND 16oz
• 68113118042 PINEAPPLE CHUNKS 10oz
• 68113118046 PINEAPPLE CHUNKS 16oz
• 68113118043 PINEAPPLE CHUNKS 42oz
• 68113118044 PINEAPPLE SPEARS 32oz
• 68113118047 RED GRAPES 10oz
• 68113118048 SEASONAL BLEND 10oz
• 68113118049 SEASONAL BLEND 16oz
• 68113118050 SEASONAL BLEND 32oz
• 68113118069 SEASONAL TRIO 32oz

The recall comes after Country Fresh issued another voluntary recall on Oct. 1 of watermelon chunks that were sold at Walmart and RaceTrac gas stations, again due to a possible Listeria contamination. The products had best-if-used by dates of Oct. 2, 3, and 4.