Frozen Vegetable Recall in CT: Risk of Deadly Contamination

By Tom Davis

Certain brands of frozen vegetables have been recalled from stores in Connecticut and other states because of a serious and sometimes fatal contamination risk.

CRF Frozen Foods of Pasco, Washington has voluntarily recalled 15 frozen vegetable items that have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The agency announced the recall on Saturday.

Listeria monocytogenes was found to be present in one lot of Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) organic petite green peas and one lot of IQF organic white sweet cut corn. State health officials in Ohio discovered the Listeria through routine testing.

According to the recall announcement, the organism is also a risk for frail or elderly people and those with weakened immune systems. The Listeria infection can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women, according to the FDA.

Healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. No illnesses have been reported to date but the company is recalling the products as a precaution.

Recalled items were sold in plastic bags and are marked with "Use By Dates" located on the back of the package.

Listed below are details regarding the recalled items, including their UPC codes and "use-by" dates:

• True Goodness By Meijer, 10 oz., Organic Petite Green Peas, 713733430999, 11/26/2017
• True Goodness By Meijer, 10 oz., Organic White Sweet Corn, 713733430982, 11/21/2017
• Wellsley Farms Organic 4 lb., Organic Mixed Vegetables, 888670010136, 10/25/2017
• Wellsley Farms Organic, 4 lb., Organic Green Peas, 88867000997, 02/10/2017
• Wellsley Farms Organic, 4 lb., Organic Green Peas, 88867000997, 02/15/2018
• Organic By Nature - Canada, 2.5 kg., Organic Green Peas, 846358000619, 10/22/2017
• Organic By Nature - Canada, 42.5 kg., Organic Green Peas, 846358000619, 12/3/2017
• Organic By Nature - Canada, 2.5 kg., Organic Green Peas, 846358000619, 3/16/2018
• Organic By Nature, 4 lb., Organic Green Peas, 846358000695, 10/25/2017
• Organic By Nature, 5 lb., Organic Green Peas, 846358000633, 2/15/2018
• Organic By Nature - Canada, 2.5 kg., Organic Green Peas, 846358000619, 3/16/2018
• Organic By Nature, 5 lb., Organic Veg Medley w/ Shelled Edamame, 846358000657, 2/11/2018
• Organic By Nature, 4 lb., Organic White Supersweet Corn, 846358000701, 11/19/2017
• Organic By Nature, 5 lb., Organic White Supersweet Corn, 846358000640, 9/13/2017
• Schwan's, 16 oz., Organic SS Yellow & White Cut Corn, 0072180604332B5320

The FDA says the agency knows the recalled frozen vegetables were distributed to retailers and distribution centers between Sept. 13, 2015 and March 16 of this year in the following states, and may be redistributed in other states nationwide:

• Alabama
• Arizona
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Louisiana
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New York
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virgina
• Wisconsin
• British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan of Canada

Consumers are urged not to consume these products. Consumers who purchased these products may take them back to the store where they purchased them for a refund or simply discard them.

Consumers seeking information may call 844-551-5595 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, the FDA says.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons, by Amada44 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0