Walmart Fruit Recall In IL: Listeria Fears Over Pre-Cut Fruit

ILLINOIS — Listeria fears have prompted the expansion of a recall of pre-cut fruit made by Country Fresh and distributed at Walmart stores in Illinois and eight other states. The recall includes containers of "Freshness Guaranteed" cut or sliced watermelon, apples, grapes, mangos, pineapples and cantaloupe.

The fruit was recalled after Listeria monocytogenes was found on equipment and used in an area near where those products are packed. The possible contamination was discovered during an FDA inspection.

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. While healthy people 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.

So far, Country Fresh has not received any reports of illnesses, and Walmart stores are removing the recalled products from shelves. Anyone who has purchased the recalled items should not consume them and discard them immediately.

The recall affects fresh fruit shipped to Walmart retail distribution centers and sent to stores in Illinois, Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.

The affected fruit was packaged in clam shell containers with "best if used by" dates between Oct. 3 and Oct. 11.

Recalled fruit includes sliced green and red apples, "summer blend" and "tropical blend" fruit trays, mango chunks and spears, pineapple chunks and spears, watermelon, green and red grapes and seasonal blends.

Find the full list of products and UPC codes here.