By Tom Latek
Kentucky Today
A major grocery store chain is removing peaches from its shelves in Kentucky and 19 other states, due to a salmonella outbreak involving a supplier.
ALDI has announced the voluntary recall of Wawona Packing Company brand peaches in two-pound bags from stores in Kentucky, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.
The recalled peaches
The items were also available for purchase through the company’s partnership with Instacart, a grocery delivery service.
Affected are all peaches sold since June 1.
Based on information collected from those who have become ill, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified bagged peaches from ALDI stores as a likely source of Salmonella Enteritidis infections.
While Kentucky has not reported any salmonella cases, as of August 19, the CDC is reporting a total of 68 cases across 9 states, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin. 14 of the victims had to be hospitalized.
The U. S. Food and Drug Administration’s traceback investigation is ongoing to determine the full scope of product distribution and source of contamination. The agency says anyone who bought the peaches since June 1 and may still have the peaches in their house, should not eat them but should throw them away.
The FDA also recommends that those who had Wawona-brand bagged peaches from ALDI use extra vigilance in cleaning and sanitizing any surfaces and containers that may have come in contact with the produce to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. This includes cutting boards, slicers, countertops, refrigerators, and storage bins.
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.
