Sprout Recall Due to Potential Contamination with Listeria

On April 9, 2009, Amalgamated Produce, Inc. (API), Bridgeport, CT., announced that it is voluntarily recalling certain brands of sprouts due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, a foodborne pathogen that can cause serious illness and death.

The following brands with sell-by date codes March 31 through April 27, 2009, are being recalled: Specialty Farms Sprouts, Vermont Sprout House, Nature's Promise, and BroccoSprouts. The company is also recalling plastic bagged sprouts in a box with a sticker identifying 5 lb. bulk alfalfa, with julian dates 069 through 097. For a complete listing of the recalled sprout products, visit https://www.fda.gov/FDAgov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm135947.htm.

Listeria monocytogenes can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, listeriosis can cause miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women.

There have been no cases of listeriosis reported to date in connection with the recalled products. API is issuing this recall as a precaution. Bacteria have been found in a sample that had been collected by state health officials in New York.

The recalled sprouts have been distributed in CT, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, DE, VT, and RI.

If you have purchased any of the recalled products, you should return them to the point of purchase for a refund. You can also call API at 800-358-3808 between 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

This article appears on FDA's Consumer Updates page, which features the latest on all FDA-regulated products.

Date Posted: April 9, 2009

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