Listeria Outbreak Linked to Recalled Fruits and Ice Cream Causes Illnesses and One Death

HMC Farms and Wilcox Ice Cream issue recalls as CDC warns of potential listeria contamination, advising consumers to discard or return affected products and clean surfaces thoroughly.

HMC Farms has voluntarily recalled whole peaches, plums, and nectarines sold between May and mid-November of 2022 and 2023, due to a listeria outbreak that has caused 11 illnesses, 10 hospitalizations, and one death across seven states.
Wilcox Ice Cream is recalling ice cream from multiple brands after the Vermont Department of Agriculture informed the company that one lot of the Super Premium Mint Chip ice cream products made on November 14th may have been contaminated with listeria.
The CDC estimates that about 1,600 get sick from listeria annually in the U.S., causing 260 deaths. Pregnant people are especially vulnerable to the bacteria and are about ten times more likely to get a listeria infection when exposed to it.
Symptoms of listeria infection in nonpregnant people include flu-like symptoms, like a fever or muscle aches. However, the infection can be more dangerous for pregnant people, who may also experience headaches, confusion, loss of balance, and even seizures. It can even cause miscarriages and stillbirths in this group.
The CDC is advising consumers to throw away or return any recalled fruit to the store, then make sure to carefully clean any surfaces that the fruit may have touched.