Vegetable recall affects Walmart, Trader Joe's, others

Oct. 23 (UPI) -- A vegetable supplier to several of the largest grocery store chains in the nation issued a major recall of several products last week due to a risk of Listeria contamination.

Mann Packing, based in Salinas, Calif., recalled dozens of packaged vegetable, salads and other products that are sold at stores across the United States and Canada, including Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Albertson's, Safeway, Meijer and Walmart.

A full list of recalled products was available on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration website.

"The recalled product has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems," the FDA said. "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."

Customers who have purchased any of the products on the recall list were urged to discard the product or return it to the store where it was purchased for a refund.

"As an owner of this company and a mom, providing safe and healthy foods to our consumers and their families is always our top priority," said Gina Nucci, director of corporate marketing at Mann Packing. "This voluntary recall is a reflection of our commitment to ensuring the safety of our consumers."

On Sunday, grocery store chain Meijer announced its own recall of the products on the list.