Local retailers unaffected by produce recall

Published 3:11 pm Thursday, July 24, 2014

Local retailers said Thursday their stores had not been affected by a recent recall of certain produce from a packing company in California.

Wawona Packing Company of Cutler, Calif., voluntarily recalled certain lots of whole peaches (white and yellow), nectarines (white and yellow), plums and pluots packed between June 1 through July 12 due to the potential of the products being contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, according to a press release from the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries.

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, the release said.

Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

Wawona Packing has notified retailers of the specific lots being recalled, the release said.

Representatives at Winn-Dixie in Clanton, Piggly Wiggly in Jemison, Walmart in Clanton, Maplesville Supermarket, Sav-Mor Associated Foods in Clanton and Mizzell’s Super Saver in Thorsby said their stores did not receive products from Wawona Packing and were not affected by the recall.

In addition, Chilton County peaches are not affected by the recall because they are not packed in California.

No other products are impacted by the recall, and no illnesses have been linked to the recall to date, the release said.

The recalled products were shipped directly to retailers and wholesalers who resell the products.

Wawona Packing issued a nationwide recall because the locations of the companies that purchased the products from Wawona’s direct customers were unknown.

Consumers can identify the recalled products by the information provided in the Wawona Packing Recalls Product list at Fda.gov/downloads/Safety/Recalls/UCM405955.

Recalled product photos are also available on FDA’s Flickr Photostream.

Anyone who has the recalled products in their possession should not consume them and should discard them, the release said.

Consumers with questions may contact Wawona Packing at 1-888-232-9912, Monday–Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time, or visit WawonaPacking.com for a copy of the press release.

Wawona Packing has notified its business customers and requested that they remove the recalled products from commerce.

Wawona Packing voluntarily recalled the products in consultation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The recall was initiated based on internal company testing, the release said. The company shut down the implicated packing lines, retrofitted equipment, sanitized the facility and retested.

Subsequent daily test results have been negative.

“We are aware of no illnesses related to the consumption of these products,” said Brent Smittcamp, president of Wawona Packing Company. “By taking the precautionary step of recalling product, we will minimize even the slightest risk to public health, and that is our priority.”

Any consumers who believe they may have become ill after eating the products should contact their health care provider.

Visit Fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm405945.htm to see product labels as they appeared in the store.

For detailed information pertaining to the recall including specific product details, go to Fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm405943.htm.

The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries encourages consumers to sign up to receive Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts at Fda.gov/Safety/Recalls.