With the events of 10 hospitalizations, 11 illnesses, and 1 death so far, the CDC has confirmed a listeria outbreak in the United States with an investigation that is still in process.
According to the Mayo Clinic, listeria is a foodborne bacterial illness, often linked to improperly processed deli meats and unpasteurized milk. It spreads easily among foods, even those that are refrigerated.
Listeria, being the third leading cause of foodborne deaths in America, is fatal to people above the age of 65, pregnant women, and those with weak immune systems. Common symptoms include fever, muscle aches, nausea, and more if it spreads into your nervous system.
This recent outbreak is linked to peaches, nectarines, and plums, through the brands HMC Farms and Signature Farms, with a 6359 sticker. Due to the outbreak, many fruits from these companies have been recalled.
These bags of fruit were sold from May 1st and November 15th, 2022 to 2023, according to the CDC. The 10 people affected by this outbreak live in the states of California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, and Ohio.
Juliana Murguz ’25 expressed concern, “Even if there’s only been 10 cases so far, if that number continues to rise, listeria will become a big problem very soon.”
The CDC recommends that anyone who purchased these fruits should immediately throw them away, clean any surface that they were on to ensure a lack of contamination and call a healthcare provider if they show any symptoms of listeria.
According to The Seattle Times, an HMC spokesperson stated, “Our hearts go out to those affected by the outbreak. We are working tirelessly with the FDA to investigate how the contamination happened.”
