Planters issued a recall across five states, including Georgia. According to a letter penned to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Planters’ parent company, Hormel Foods Sales, recalled its 4 oz. honey roasted peanuts and 8.75 oz. deluxe mixed nuts products voluntarily because of a possible listeria contamination.
Planters’ recall affected Publix distribution warehouses in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and North Carolina — as well as Dollar Tree distribution warehouses in South Carolina and Georgia.
“There have been no reports of illness related to this recall to date, and all retailers that received the affected product have been properly notified,” the company said in a letter to the FDA. “This recall is being initiated with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.”
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacteria that causes listeriosis, a serious infection the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported affects 1,600 Americans each year. An estimated 260 people die of listeriosis annually.
“The infection is most likely to sicken pregnant women and their newborns, adults aged 65 or older, and people with weakened immune systems,” the CDC reported.
Symptoms of listeriosis usually begin within two weeks of infections and often mimic the flu (fever, muscle aches, etc.). Almost 5% of nonpregnant people suffering from the infection die. Pregnant women often suffer milder symptoms, but infection during pregnancy often leads to miscarriage.
“Listeria is a hardy germ that can be difficult to fully remove from food processing facilities,” the CDC reported. “If a facility has Listeria germs, the germs can spread to food that touches contaminated equipment or surfaces. Listeria can also spread from contaminated food to surfaces. It can even grow on foods kept in the refrigerator. The good news is that Listeria is easily killed by heating food to a high enough temperature.”
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