Whole Peaches Recalled Nationwide Due to Potential Contamination With Life-Threatening Bacteria
On Thursday, October 30, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) brought a new recalled product to light. The Moonlight Companies withdrew whole peaches from its distributors over contamination issues. The recall of the California-grown conventional yellow and white peaches was initiated after Listeria monocytogenes was discovered in the packing facility environment. The fear of possible contamination and Listeria outbreak kicked in, prompting immediate action. Before the recall, the products were sold in nationwide retail chains between September 16 and October 29.
For the consumers' sake, the agency released details of the product, revealing that the peaches were either sold individually with PLU stickers printed over them or in multiple packs. The affected products don't include PLU stickers with “Washington” and/or “Organic” printed over them. Moonlight Yellow Peaches were sold as both individual pieces and packages with 4401 4044 as its PLU number and 8 10248 03165 6 8 98429 00209 1 UPC, respectively. Other recalled products are Moonlight White Peaches or “Peppermint Peach,” Moonlight White Peaches, and Kroger Yellow Peaches.
The details of these products are listed by the FDA, which you can access by clicking here. According to Food Safety News, Listeria monocytogenes won't smell, taste or seem spoiled, but they can pose extreme dangers to consumers. The organism can cause serious illness and fatal infections, especially in young children and frail, elderly people. Those with a weak immune system are also prone to severe infections caused by Listeria monocytogenes. The symptoms might include high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.
In healthy individuals, these side effects can be cured within a reasonable span. Besides young kids, the elderly, and people with a low immune system, the bacteria can cause extreme harm to pregnant women. The accidental contact or consumption may lead to stillborn birth or miscarriages, as per the agency. The point of bringing these symptoms to light is to raise awareness among consumers. If anyone has consumed the damaged products, they must seek medical attention and inform a doctor about the extent of exposure to the organism.
They must also monitor themselves for any of the above-mentioned symptoms and seek immediate medical consultation accordingly. It may take up to 70 days for the symptoms of listeriosis to develop. Hence, it's vital for anyone exposed to the affected products to keep track of their health. Moreover, the diagnosis of listeriosis requires specific tests, as the infection may mimic other common illnesses, another thing to keep in mind. The FDA issues a warning that people who have purchased the recalled products must not consume them.
The agency has advised to either discard the product or opt for a refund or exchange at the retail store where the purchase was made. Fortunately, no illness has been reported so far, but the consumers are advised to be cautious nonetheless. In case of any further queries, people can contact the Moonlight Companies at 855-215-5017, available Monday through Friday, from 8 am to 5 pm EST. The recall is ongoing under the supervision of the FDA. The agency is quite efficient at taking efforts to remove or correct any products that violate its regulations, are hazardous for consumption, or can cause an outbreak of a disease. The recall strategies are created based on the scale of harm the affected products can cause.
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