Packaged Butternut Squash Recalled Due to Risk of Listeria

Dozens of products shipped to retailers across the country may contain the bacteria

By Lisa L. Gill
Investigative Reporter

January 20, 2021

Two food processing companies, Pero Family Farms and Lancaster Foods issued voluntary recalls on a wide range of butternut squash products because they could be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday.

There are no reports of illnesses.

Dozens of products are part of the recall and include items such as packaged cubed butternut squash, butternut squash spirals, butternut squash lasagna noodles, and a vegetable “rice” blend containing butternut squash.

Packaged Butternut Squash chunks and spirals Recall — Two examples of recalled butternut squash products.

The Risks of Listeria

Listeria monocytogenes is a type of bacteria that can cause fever, diarrhea, and muscle aches, and, if it spreads to the nervous system, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Listeria can cause fatal infections in young children, older people, or people with weakened immune systems. In pregnant women, listeria can lead to miscarriages or life-threatening infections in newborns.

Cooking to 165° F can kill listeria, but you shouldn’t take the chance with a product that is suspected or known to be contaminated with the bacteria. And if you have had any of these butternut squash products in your refrigerator, give the fridge a thorough cleaning.

“Listeria can survive for a long time on surfaces, and unlike most other bacteria, it can continue to grow at refrigerated temperatures,” says Sana Mujahid, PhD, manager of food safety research and testing at Consumer Reports. “If there is lingering listeria in your fridge, other foods could get contaminated.”

The Details

Product recalled: Multiple processed butternut squash products from Pero Family Farms (see list here) and Lancaster Foods (see list here).

The problem: The butternut squash may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The fix: Return the butternut squash to the store where it was purchased for a full refund or toss it into the trash.

How to contact the company: Consumers with questions can call Lancaster Foods at 410-799-0010, ext. 1530, or Pero Family Farms Food at 561-498-5771, ext. 2107. Both companies can be reached from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.

Lisa L. Gill

Lisa L. Gill is an award-winning investigative reporter. She has been at Consumer Reports since 2008, covering health and food safety—heavy metals in the food supply and foodborne illness—plus healthcare and prescription drug costs, medical debt, and credit scores. Lisa also testified before Congress and the Food and Drug Administration about her work on drug costs and drug safety. She lives in a DIY tiny home, where she gardens during the day and stargazes the Milky Way at night.