Precut Fruits and Vegetables Recalled at Wegmans and Other Retailers for Risk of Listeria
More than 30 products are involved
Fresh Fruit Up recalled 31 types of cut fruit and vegetable products from retailers including Wegmans and Tops—because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria that can cause serious foodborne illness—the Food and Drug Administration announced. No illnesses have been reported.
Most of the products are some type of melon—cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon—or pineapple. The produce is packed in clear clamshell plastic containers and comes in sizes that range from 10 to 32 ounces. A raspberry dip is also part of the recall.
All the products carry a “best by” date (shown below) of March 5 to March 31, 2022. They were shipped to stores in New York and “surrounding states,” according to the announcement. You can find a full list of the products on the FDA’s website.
Source: FDA Source: FDA
How to Stay Safe
When you cut into produce, you increase the risk of transferring bacteria that may be on its surface into its flesh, says James E. Rogers, PhD, director of food safety and research at Consumer Reports. “In commercial facilities, with fruits and vegetables processed in one place, it can create opportunities for cross-contamination.”
Because of this, Rogers says, it’s safer to buy your own fruits and vegetables, wash them, and cut them yourself.
If you do buy precut produce, the FDA advises selecting unbruised products that are refrigerated or packed in ice. Refrigerate it as soon as you get home, and avoid storing it next to raw meat, poultry, and seafood to avoid cross-contamination of bacteria.
