Listeria fears prompt recall for fruit sold at Trader Joe's, Costco

CUTLER, Calif. -- Trader Joe's is recalling some fresh produce supplied by a company in California over possible listeria contamination.

Wawona Packing, located in Cutler, Calif., is voluntarily recalling certain lots of whole peaches, nectarines, plums and pluots packed between June 1 and July 12 because the produce could be contaminated with Listeria. The fruit is commonly sold at popular wholesalers and retailers including Costco and Trader Joe's.

Listeria can cause serious, potentially-fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems, and can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women. Healthy people may suffer only short-term symptoms including high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea.

Wawona Packing's president says they are not aware of any illnesses related to the products, but are urging customers to throw out any recalled fruit.

The recalled fruit was shipped directly to retailers and wholesalers, who resell the products. The company issued the recall because it doesn't know all of the companies that bought fruit from its wholesalers.

After discovering the contamination, Wawona said it shut down its packing lines, retrofitted some equipment and sanitized the facility. Subsequent tests have been negative for the bacteria.

More information including lot codes, labels and pictures to identify the possibly contaminated fruit, is at Wawona's website, http://www.wawonapacking.com. Consumers can also call 888-232-9912.

For photos of affected products, including additional details, please click here.

(Some information for this story is from the Associated Press.)