Sunflower seed products recalled over Listeria concerns

WASHINGTON, May 22 (UPI) -- SunOpta has expanded its voluntary recall of sunflower kernel products for Planters, Sunrich Naturals and Papa John's Salads and Produce that could be potentially contaminated with Listeria.

The initial recall was limited to sunflower kernel products produced at SunOpta's Crookston, Minn., plant from Feb. 1-19, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said in a release.

The expanded recall includes products produced Feb. 20 through April 21, the date on which the facility ceased production of the products.

Separately, Arizona-based Papa John's Salad and Produce, Inc. voluntary recalled it Oriental Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing, with sell-by dates of May 18-25.

No illnesses have been confirmed related to the consumption of this product.

Listeria is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems, the FDA said.

Healthy individuals may suffer short-term symptoms that include high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. But it can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women, the FDA said.

Consumers are urged not to consume these products, and to take them back to the store where they purchased them for a refund, or discard them. Consumers seeking information may email [email protected] or call 1-888-886-4428 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Daylight Time.

"SunOpta is committed to ensuring consumer safety and providing quality products and ingredients to customers," the company said in a statement. "Company has completed its root cause analysis and is working with food safety experts to implement corrective and preventative measures. In an abundance of caution, SunOpta is voluntarily extending the period during which it is recalling a limited number of sunflower kernel products that have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes."