Updated January 31 with final information A Listeria outbreak linked to peaches, plums, and nectarines sold at Sam’s Club and the Albertsons family of stores has ended after sickening 11 people, killing one of them. One pregnant patient experienced preterm labor.
The stone fruit was produced by HMC Farms of Kingsburg, California which issued a Listeria recall for peaches, nectarines, and plums sold at stores nationwide between May 1 and November 15, 2022, and between May 1 and November 15, 2023.
Consumers who have purchased these products should not eat them as Listeria can cause severe illness and death. Among pregnant women, Listeria can cause preterm labor, miscarriages, and stillbirths even if the expectant mother experiences only mild, flu-like symptoms.
Symptoms of a Listeria Infection
Symptoms of a Listeria infection include:
- High fever, stiff neck, and other muscle aches
- Headache, loss of balance, confusion or convulsions
- Upset stomach or diarrhea
Listeria poses a heightened risk to people who are 65 an over over and those who have weakened immune systems. Pregnant mothers and babies are also at very high risk, as pregnant women are 20 times more likely than other people to contract Listeria infections.
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HMC Peaches, Plums, and Nectarines Listeria Outbreak
The patients in this outbreak, who ranged in age from 30 to 82 years old, became ill on dates ranging from August 22, 2018, to August 16, 2023. Health officials were able to gather information from 10 of the patients all of whom were hospitalized.
The illnesses were reported from seven states: California (3), Colorado (1), Florida (3), Illinois (1), Kansas (1), Michigan (1), and Ohio (1). The fatality was reported from California.
On October 23, the FDA collected a sample of HMC Farms peaches. On November 6, results of whole genome sequencing tests revealed that the Listeria strain found in the peaches is closely related to the strain cultures from the outbreak patients, meaning that people likely got sick from eating these peaches, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Related
Peaches, Plums, Nectarines and Listeria: A Brief History
Contact our Experienced Listeria lawyers today
The food safety legal team at Pritzker Hageman has decades of experience investigating Listeria outbreaks on behalf of clients who have been sickened in them and family members who have suffered the wrongful death of a lost loved one. We have a record of collecting some of the largest foodborne illness compensation claims in U.S. history. We understand how devastating a Listeria infection can be.