A&M Farms Whole Vidalia onions - recalled due to Listeria monocytogenes

United States

A&M Farms of Lyons, Georgia, is voluntarily recalling select whole Vidalia onions packed on one pack line between June 20 - June 23, 2022, because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The company shipped the recalled product directly to retailer distribution centers in Florida, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. The distribution centers further distributed the recalled product to retail stores in Florida, Georgia, New York, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. No other onions are included in this recall notice. To date, no illnesses or adverse events have been reported.

The recalled Little Bear onions were available for sale to consumers on June 23 and 24 at Wegmans stores in the Rochester-area, Massachusetts, and at the Erie West and Erie Peach Street Wegmans stores in Pennsylvania. The onions were also available for sale June 22 – 24, 2022 at Publix stores in the state of Florida and in Publix stores in Georgia in Barrow, Clarke, DeKalb, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Oconee and Walton counties.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that 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.

Consumers can identify the recalled Vidalia Onions by the purchase location, PLU 4159 and Little Bear brand on the PLU sticker as provided in the table at the end of the notice. The recalled Vidalia Onions are sold in bulk in the produce section of retail stores.

Affected products:
- Product description: Vidalia sweet onions sold by the pound. Brand on PLU: Little Bear. PLU no. on sticker or Lot# on bag: PLU 4159. Dates available for sale in stores: Sold in stores June 23 and 24. Retailers Sold at Wegman’sRochester, NY- area stores, two- Pennsylvania locations, Massachusetts .

- Product description: Vidalia sweet onions sold by the pound. Brand on PLU: Little Bear. PLU no. on sticker or Lot# on bag: PLU 4159. Dates available for sale in stores: Sold in stores June 22-24. Retailers Sold at Publix stores in Florida and in the following South Georgia counties: Barrow, Clarke, DeKalb, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Oconee and Walton.

- Product description: 6 lb. bagged Vidalia sweet onions. Brand on PLU: Why FFA Matters. PLU no. on sticker or Lot# on bag: Lot#CHW032A UPC026303610067. Dates available for sale in stores: Shipped to DC on June 21. Retailers Shipped to Sam’s Club’s distribution center in North Carolina. According to Sam’s, all recalled onions were destroyed and unavailable for sale to consumers.

The recall comes after internal company testing detected Listeria on a single pack line. Although the company cleans and sanitizes its pack lines regularly, it is recalling onions packed on the implicated packing line before and after June 21 out of an abundance of caution. No other products grown, packed, or sold by A&M Farms are affected by this recall. Anyone who has the recalled product in their possession should not consume it. The product should be disposed and may return to the place of purchase with a receipt for a refund.

In case you are experiencing Listeria monocytogenes symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, it is important to report it. It can help to detect & resolve outbreaks early and prevent others from being harmed, and it enables better surveillance.

Company name: A&M Farms
Brand name: Little Bear
Product recalled: Whole Vidalia onions
Reason of the recall: Potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes
FDA Recall date: June 30, 2022

Source: www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/am-farms-initiates-recall-specific-little-bear-brand-whole-vidalia-onions-sold-pound-retail-because