Listeria concerns prompt green bean, butternut squash recall; food may have reached Virginia stores

MIAMI - (AP) -- A Florida company has issued a voluntary recall of Marketside brand green beans and butternut squash because of a possible Listeria contamination.

Southern Specialties Inc. of Pompano Beach, Florida, announced the recall Monday, warning that the Listeria monocytogenes bacteria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Even healthy adults can suffer symptoms like high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.

The company says it shipped the recalled product to one retail distribution center. Most of the product was retrieved, but some product shipped earlier this month might have reached stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee.

RECALL INFO FROM SOUTHERN SPECIALTIES:

Thank you for being a consumer of Southern Specialties fresh products. We here at Southern Specialties care deeply about providing safe, nutritious products to you and your family as well as to our own families. So, we are removing items from the marketplace that may have been exposed to product that was recalled by our supplier.

If you live in one of these nine states:

and you have in your possession one of the products listed below, please do not consume it. Please either destroy it or return it to the place of purchase for a refund:

We are voluntarily recalling these items because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium that can cause serious and sometimes fatal harm to people with weakened immune systems, including pregnant women. If you believe you consumed one of the recalled products and you feel ill, seek medical attention.

Are there any illnesses linked to this recall?

To our knowledge, there are no illnesses linked to this recall. Nevertheless, if you have the recalled products in your possession, please do not consume them. Of course, we contacted U.S. Food & Drug Administration and we are keeping them informed of this recall.

Although no actual food product has tested positive for the bacterium. A table surface at our raw material supplier's facility tested positive during a routine test.

Is the recalled product still available for sale?

The company shipped the recalled product to one retail distribution center. Although most of the product was retrieved before distribution to retail stores, some product shipped on February 17th may have reached select stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The products have been recalled at these stores but in an abundance of caution, we are issuing this public notice.

Consumers with questions regarding this recall may contact the company at 1-954-876-2453. We will return your call in 24 hours.

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