More vegetables and bagged salads are being recalled due to fears they may be contaminated with harmful bacteria.
According to a notice released by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Ohio-based Weir’s Farm has expanded its recall, originally announced on July 12, to include produce sold at major retailers including Walmart, Aldi and Kroger due to possible Listeria contamination.
According to the notice, additional items being recalled include bagged cucumbers, bell peppers, yellow squash, zucchini squash, green beans and jalapeños, which were sold in bags, individually or by the pound in stores in at least 13 states.
The recall was issued “out of an abundance of caution” while the company investigates findings reported by the Michigan Department of Agriculture. Weir’s Farm said those findings prompted the expanded recall.
The company’s voluntary recall earlier this month was limited to certain whole cucumbers and bagged salad cucumbers due to possible Listeria contamination.
These products were not grown or harvested at Weirs Farm, but were sourced from out of state and processed and distributed by the company.
According to the notice, Weirs Farms is working with the Ohio Department of Agriculture on the investigation.
People can get listeriosis by eating food contaminated with the bacteria, which can last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks depending on the severity of the symptoms.
According to the FDA, mild symptoms may include fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, while more severe symptoms may include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and seizures.
But it can be deadly to young children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems, and health officials say infection can also cause miscarriage or stillbirth in pregnant women.
