CRF Frozen Foods Extends Its Recall of Organic Frozen Fruits and Vegetable Amid Listeria Outbreak

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Frozen Food Recall

Fruit and vegetable supplier, CRF Frozen Foods, which provides both conventional and organic frozen produce to over a variety of separate brands announced this week that it is expanding a voluntary recall of its products due to potential Listeria contamination. The original recall, dated April 23, 2016, included only a small sampling of organic vegetables under four labels – Schwan’s, Organic by Nature, Wellsley Farms Organic, and True Goodness by Meijer. This new recall, on the other hand, is massive by any scale. It includes 42 different brands and a total of 358 consumer products packaged and sold over the past two years.

The Dangers of Listeria

Well-known to pregnant women especially, the organism Listeria monocytogenes has dangerous and potentially-fatal effects for certain sects of the population. Among those at risk are those pregnant women who may miscarry or have a still birth as a result of infection as well as the very young, very old, and immune compromised. Symptoms of Listeria include:

  • High fever
  • Headaches
  • Stiffness
  • Abdominal Pain
  • Nausea and Vomiting
  • Diarrhea

These symptoms may affect anyone who consumes contaminated products, but are often short-lived in otherwise healthy individuals. Unfortunately however, according to the CDC, over the past few weeks, seven people have been hospitalized with Listeria who may have consumed CRF Frozen Food products. Among those seven, two people have died, though the CDC reports that Listeria was not the direct cause of death for either individual.

Recall Details

Though voluntary, this recall is massive in scope and includes all products packaged in CRF Frozen Foods’ Pasco, Washington facility since May 1, 2014. As a result, “Best By” dates range from April 26, 2016 to April 26, 2018. The facility has since been shut down and the source of the contamination is being investigated.

The products affected are diverse and include organic and non-organic fruits and vegetables including:

VEGETABLES

  • Broccoli
  • Butternut Squash
  • Carrots
  • Cauliflower
  • Corn
  • Edamame
  • Green Beans
  • Italian Beans
  • Kale
  • Leeks
  • Lima Beans
  • Onions
  • Peas
  • Pepper Strips
  • Potatoes
  • Spinach
  • Sweet Potatoes

FRUITS

  • Blueberries
  • Cherries
  • Cranberries
  • Peaches
  • Raspberries
  • Strawberries

Also included were various vegetable blends and medleys as well as stir fry blends. For a complete list of the brands and specific products affected see the full recall press release posted on the FDA website, here. Brands include popular names such as Trader Joe’s, Safeway Kitchens, O Organics, McCain, and Great Value. These products were distributed to all 50 U.S. states as well as the following Canadian provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan.

What to Do with Contaminated Food

Any consumer in possession of one of the foods affected by this recall should not, under any circumstances, eat it. Instead, they can return packages to the store where they were originally purchased or throw them away.

Retailers with these foods have been notified of the issue and companies such as Trader Joe’s have announced that these items have already been pulled from their shelves. Trader Joe’s has also announced that, in accordance with its “no questions asked” return policy, customers can take products to any Trader Joe’s location for a full refund.

Consumers with additional questions or concerns can contact CRF Frozen Foods directly, Monday-Friday from 8am to 8pm EST at 1-844-483-3866.