NOTTINGHAM, MD—Wegmans Food Markets and Freshouse II on Monday announced recalls of oranges, lemons, and various other foods due to Listeria concerns.
Wegmans Food Markets Recall
Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. is recalling its four-pound bag of Valencia Oranges, two-pound bag of lemons, bulk lemons, and a variety of in-store produced seafood and restaurant foods items that contain fresh lemon because they have 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. 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.
The affected products were sold in Wegmans stores in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, and Brooklyn and Harrison, NY.
Affected produce items, sold between July 31 and August 7, 2020, include:
Wegmans 4lb Bag Valencia Oranges – UPC: 7789052363
Wegmans 2lb Bag Lemons – UPC: 7789015917
Wegmans bulk lemons – UPC: 4033
The lemons and oranges were supplied to Wegmans by Freshouse Produce LLC of Salisbury, NC, which issued a voluntary recall after the company’s internal testing identified Listeria monocytogenes on a piece of equipment in one of its packing facilities. No illnesses associated with this recall have been reported to Wegmans or its supplier.
Wegmans has placed automated phone calls to alert customers who purchased these products using Shoppers Club.
Customers should return these products to the service desk for a full refund. Those with questions may contact Wegmans Food Markets 1-855-934-3663 Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. or Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Freshouse II Recall
Freshouse II, LLC of Salisbury, NC is recalling the following specific production lots, brands and weights of Valencia Oranges, Lemons, Limes, Organic Limes, and Red B Potatoes because they have 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. 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.
The recall was voluntarily initiated after the company’s routine internal testing identified Listeria monocytogenes on a piece of equipment in one of our packing facilities. We have ceased the production and distribution of the product that was packed on the equipment in question and are taking corrective actions and continually evaluating our cleaning and sanitation regimes.
No illnesses have been associated with this recall to date.
Consumers can identify recalled retail products by looking for the brand, UPC number and, if available the trace number printed on the tag or clip attached to the opening end of the bag. The recalled products were shipped directly to retailer distribution centers in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia and to wholesalers in Maryland and North Carolina (see table below).
| CONSUMER RETAIL ITEMS Recall Initiated August 9, 2020 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRODUCT | BRAND | RETAIL UPC | TRACE # printed on tag or clip on bag | SIZE | LOT # ON BULK CASES (this information is for retail stores) |
| Limes | Freshouse | 33383 14683 | 174618 174570 174571 174572 | 2lb mesh bags | 16444003 16444603 16444703 |
| Organic Limes | Natures Promise | 88267 53813 | 174375 | 1lb mesh bags | X0174375 |
| Red B Potatoes | Fresh from the Start | 33383 51003 | 174575 174403 174595 |
3lb mesh bags | 16475401 16453501 16475401 |
| Lemons | Fresh from the Start | 33383 14020 | 174551 174552 | 2lb mesh bags | 16453103 16415302 |
| Lemons | Wegmans | 77890 15917 | n/a | 2lb mesh bags | 16453103 |
| Valencia Oranges | Wegmans | 77890 52363 | n/a | 4lb mesh bags | 16415104 |
| WHOLESALE BULK ITEMS Recall initiated August 9, 2020 |
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| PRODUCT | SIZE | Shipper Reference Numbers (this information is for wholesale customers) |
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| Lemons | 40 lb boxes | 1187005, 1187128, 1187103, 1187112 | |||
| Limes | 40 lb boxes | 1187112, 1187099, 1187128, 1186832 | |||
| Red Potatoes | 50 lb bags | 1187098, 320873, 320992, 2182424 | |||
| Valencia Oranges | 40 lb boxes | 1187099, 1187015, 1187112 | |||
Consumers who have a recalled item listed above in their possession should not consume it and should destroy the product in a way so that it may not be consumed by others or return it to the place of purchase for a refund. Consumers with questions may contact Freshouse II, LLC at 631-369-7150, Monday through Friday: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Eastern Time. Consumers may also contact the company via email ([email protected]) or visit the company’s website at www.freshouserecall.com.
Freshouse II, LLC has notified its retail and wholesale customers who received the recalled product directly from the company and is requesting that these customers remove the recalled product from commerce. We are also asking our direct customers to notify their customers of this recall. The company is issuing this press release and keeping the U.S. Food & Drug Administration informed of its recall process to assure that consumers are properly alerted.
“We voluntarily issued this recall out of an abundance of caution with the steadfast intent to minimize even the slightest risk to public health,” said Jamey Friedman, President. “We take food safety and this recall seriously. Freshouse is committed to providing consumers with fresh, nutritious, safe products.”
