Company recalls fresh-cut vegetables sold at Walmart, other Va. grocery stores

Country Fresh Inc. Products

CONROE, Texas — A company is recalling 30,000 cases of fresh-cut vegetable products, including some sold at Walmart stores in Virginia, over concerns that they are contaminated with Listeria.

Country Fresh Inc. announced the recall Friday and said the containers of cut vegetables were shipped to stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

The products, which are labeled as Country Fresh or the in-store brands for Bi-Lo, Fresh Point, Harris Teeter, Publix, QuikTrip, Spinx, Wal-Mart and Winn-Dixie, come in clear plastic containers or are in Styrofoam trays covered with plastic wrap.

The products are marked with “best if used by dates” between August 7, 2016 (8/7/16) through August 19, 2016 (8/19/16).

Listeria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. In pregnant women, officials warned of miscarriages and stillbirths. For healthy people, short-term symptoms like fever, headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea are possible.

The Associated Press reportedone person from Connecticut died earlier this year after a contracting Listeria linked to recalled frozen vegetables.

Officials with the FDA said no illnesses tied to the vegetables have been confirmed by public health authorities.

“We are treating this incident very seriously because we want to ensure that our customers are provided with only the safest, most wholesome, and high-quality products available,” Max Payen, Country Fresh’s Director of Food Safety, said. The potential for contamination was uncovered as the result of a single routine sample taken at a retail store by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, which revealed the finished product tested positive for the bacteria. The company has ceased distribution of the affected product as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Country Fresh continue their investigation as to what caused the problem. This recall is being undertaken with the knowledge of the FDA.

Customers who bought the products can return them to their place of purchase for a full refund. If you have questions, call Country Fresh Inc at 281-453-3305, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. CDT.