A CDC food safety alert regarding a multistate outbreak of Listeria infections has been posted: https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/peaches-11-23/index.html

Key Points: 

• Eleven people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria have been reported from seven states, including 1 person who was sickened in Michigan. Ten people have been hospitalized and one person has died.
• Interviews with sick people and laboratory findings show that whole peaches, nectarines, and plums distributed by HMC Farms are making people sick.
• HMC Farms recalled these fruits sold nationwide in 2022 and 2023 between the dates of May 1 and November 15 after FDA found the outbreak strain in a sample of their peaches.
• Recalled fruit should no longer be in stores but may still be in people’s homes. CDC is advising people check their kitchen, including their refrigerator and freezer, for recalled fruit. People should not eat them and should throw them away.
• Investigators are working to identify any other fruit products that may be contaminated.
• This outbreak is not related to the Salmonella outbreak linked to cantaloupe which was announced on Friday, November 17.

What You Should Do: 

• Do not eat any recalled peaches, nectarines, and plums.
  • Check your home, including your refrigerator and freezer, for any recalled fruit.
  • If you think you have any, throw them away or return them to the store.
• Clean your refrigerator, containers, and surfaces that may have touched the recalled fruit. Listeria can survive in the refrigerator and can easily spread to other foods and surfaces.
• Call a healthcare provider right away if you have these symptoms after eating recalled fruit:
  • Pregnant people usually have fever, muscle aches, and tiredness.
  • People who are not pregnant usually have fever, muscle aches, and tiredness. They may also get a headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or seizures.

What Businesses Should Do: 

• Do not sell or serve recalled fruit or food made with recalled fruit.
• Follow FDA’s safe handling and cleaning advice if you sold or served recalled fruit.

Listeria Symptoms: 

• Listeria is especially harmful to people who are pregnant, aged 65 or older, or with weakened immune systems. This is because Listeria is more likely to spread beyond their gut to other parts of their body, resulting in a severe condition known as invasive listeriosis.
  • For people who are pregnant, Listeria can cause pregnancy loss, premature birth, or a life-threatening infection in their newborn.
  • For people who are 65 years or older or who have a weakened immune system, Listeria often results in hospitalization and sometimes death.
• Symptoms usually start within 2 weeks after eating food contaminated with Listeria but may start as early as the same day or as late as 10 weeks after.
  • Pregnant people usually have fever, muscle aches, and tiredness.
  • People who are not pregnant usually have fever, muscle aches, and tiredness. They may also get a headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or seizures.
• For more information about Listeria, see the Listeria Questions and Answers page.