Peaches may be a perfect stone fruit for summer, but one California-based purveyor has pulled its products due to a multistate Salmonella outbreak.
Prima Wawona issued a voluntary recall of peaches distributed and sold from June 1 through August 3 as a precaution in connection with a Salmonella outbreak under investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that is suspected to have caused the illness.
"Epidemiologic evidence indicates that peaches are the likely source of this outbreak," the CDC reported. "As of August 19, 2020, CDC is reporting a total of 68 cases across nine states. FDA’s investigation to identify a source of contamination is ongoing."
The Fresno, Cal., company has recalled its bulk and loose peaches distributed and sold from June 1 through August 3 along with its bagged Wawona and Wawona Organic peaches that were distributed and sold from June 1 through August 19, the FDA announced.
Both the FDA and the CDC recommend any customers who purchased the potentially affected produce before August 3, which were distributed to ALDI, Target, Kroger stores, Walmart and Wegmans, discard and not eat the fruit.
FOOD OUTBREAK UPDATE: Do not eat, sell, or serve Prima Wawona-brand peaches as FDA, @cdcgov Salmonella Enteritidis investigation continues. Loose/bulk and bagged peaches sold at several retailers have been recalled nationwide https://t.co/53K4HX65HG. pic.twitter.com/i5M9uHOpDk
— U.S. FDA (@US_FDA) August 24, 2020
How to identify potentially affected peaches
The bagged peaches in question contain the following product codes:
Wawona Peaches – 033383322001
Wawona Organic Peaches – 849315000400
Prima Peaches – 766342325903
Organic Marketside Peaches – 849315000400
Kroger Peaches – 011110181749
Wegmans Peaches – 077890490488
The bulk/loose peaches supplied by Prima Wawona are sold in grocery stores in a variety of formats, typically bins where consumers may select their own fruit and may have the following stickers with PLU numbers on them: 4037, 4038, 4044, 4401, 94037, 94038, 94044, 94401.
The FDA noted that "not all peaches with these PLU codes are supplied by Prima Wawona," so if consumers are not sure of the brand or variety to contact the retailer or throw them out.
For the full recall and product information click here.
FDA, @CDCgov and partners are alerting consumers to avoid recalled Wawona-brand bagged peaches sold at ALDI after being linked to a new Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak. FDA’s traceback continues to determine the source of contamination. https://t.co/53K4HX65HG pic.twitter.com/2Rl47ZXfr0
— U.S. FDA (@US_FDA) August 20, 2020
Symptoms and treatment if Salmonella is suspected
"Consumers who have symptoms of Salmonella infection should contact their health care provider. Most people with salmonellosis develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps. More severe cases of salmonellosis may include a high fever, aches, headaches, lethargy, a rash, blood in the urine or stool, and in some cases may become fatal," the FDA said.
The CDC and FDA recommend that anyone who experiences symptoms of Salmonella infection contact their health care provider.
Ongoing investigation
The Food and Drug Administration's traceback investigation will work to identify the source of this ongoing outbreak, whether additional peaches are affected, and to determine if potentially contaminated product has been shipped to additional retailers.
