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(Recast) Frozen fruits, veggies recalled in U.S. due to potential contamination of Listeria

Xinhua, May 21, 2016 Adjust font size:

Millions of packages of fruits and vegetables sold in all 50 U.S. states and Canada have been recalled because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

In what American media described Friday as "one of the largest food recalls in recent memory," the recall involved 358 products from Washington-based CRF Frozen Foods, sold under 42 separate brands, according to the company.

So far, eight people have been hospitalized, including one from Maryland and one from Washington who died, although listeriosis was not considered to be a cause of death for the either person, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said earlier this month.

CRF Frozen Foods made an initial recall covering 11 frozen vegetable products on April 23. Then, on May 2, it expanded the recall to include all of the frozen organic and traditional fruit and vegetable products manufactured or processed in its facility at Pasco, Washington, since May 1, 2014.

Products included organic and non-organic broccoli, butternut squash, carrots, cauliflower, corn, edamame, green beans, Italian beans, kale, leeks, lima beans, onions, peas, pepper strips, potatoes, potato medley, root medley, spinach, sweet potatoes, various vegetable medleys, blends, and stir fry packages, blueberries, cherries, cranberries, peaches, raspberries, and strawberries.

CRF Frozen Foods suspended operations at its Pasco facility so that a thorough review can be conducted.

Listeriosis, a serious infection usually caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail of elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women. Endit