Listeria risk outbreak: FDA elevates recall of 400 boxes of organic blueberries
Originating from Alma Pak International LLC, based in Georgia, the voluntary recall on June 9 involved 400 boxes (each weighing 30 pounds) of organic blueberries after routine testing detected Listeria monocytogenes.
These contaminated boxes, bearing lot numbers 13325 G1060 and 13325 G1096, were distributed to a single customer in North Carolina.
The recall in detail: What you need to know
On June 9, 2025, Alma Pak International LLC initiated a voluntary recall involving 400 boxes (30 lbs each) of their organic blueberries after routine testing revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. Although shipments were sent to just one North Carolina customer, the FDA's recent classification upgrade on July 1, 2025, to a Class I recall reflects the seriousness of the contamination, a category reserved for food products that could result in death or serious illness
Identifying the affected product
Company:
Alma Pak International LLC (Georgia)
Recall Date:
June 9, 2025
Boxes Recalled:
400
Weight per Box:
30 lbs
Lot Numbers:
13325 G1060, 13325 G1096
Distribution:
One customer in North Carolina
Consumers and vendors are urged to inspect their inventories and immediately dispose of any blueberries matching these details.
What is a
Listeria outbreak
?
A listeria outbreak is a situation where two or more people get sick from eating food contaminated with the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes. This can happen when food is processed, prepared, or stored in unsanitary conditions. Listeria outbreaks are typically identified when multiple individuals experience similar illnesses after consuming the same potentially contaminated food.
Why is Listeria such a concern?
Listeria monocytogenes is a pathogenic bacterium that thrives in refrigerated environments, unlike many other foodborne pathogens.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025
Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List
Undo
While healthy individuals might experience mild symptoms, including fever, muscle aches, nausea, or diarrhea, the infection can escalate to more severe conditions, such as meningitis, particularly in those over 65, pregnant individuals, newborns, or the immunocompromised.
According to FDA data, listeriosis is the third-leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the US, responsible for approximately 260 deaths annually.
Listeriosis: Symptoms and prevention
Listeria can be particularly dangerous for pregnant women, older adults, and individuals with weakened immune systems.
Listeriosis symptoms can range from mild, like fever and diarrhea, to severe, including meningitis or sepsis, especially in vulnerable populations. Listeria can be transmitted through contaminated food, and outbreaks are often linked to ready-to-eat foods like deli meats, soft cheeses, and smoked seafood.
Proper food handling, including cooking to safe temperatures and avoiding high-risk foods, is crucial to prevent listeriosis.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Gujarat hospitals see worrying resistance to powerful antibiotics
SLUG: STATE's AMR PROFILE Ahmedabad: A recent govt study has revealed a worrying trend in Gujarat's hospitals — some of the most powerful antibiotics are no longer effective against common bacterial infections. The report found that more than 40% of E. coli and Klebsiella bacteria — two major antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) pathogens often responsible for serious infections — are now resistant to carbapenems, a high-end antibiotic typically used when all others fail. You Can Also Check: Ahmedabad AQI | Weather in Ahmedabad | Bank Holidays in Ahmedabad | Public Holidays in Ahmedabad This is one of the key findings of the surveillance report by the Gujarat State Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network (GUJSAR), released on Wednesday. The report analysed 14,685 AMR isolates collected between July 1 and December 31, 2024, from 22 network laboratories, including microbiology labs of six govt medical colleges, 13 GMERS medical colleges, and three municipal corporation-run medical colleges. "While other drugs are still available — including colistin, the last resort for very severe bacterial infections — resistance to carbapenems signals that we are rapidly running out of feasible antibiotic options for serious infections. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 今すぐ、2025年最高のRPGゲームを制覇しよう！ BuzzDaily Winners ゲームをプレイ Undo Switching to a higher class of antibiotics also brings short-term and long-term side effects," said a senior city-based microbiologist. A senior state health department official told TOI that Gujarat is among the few Indian states with a dedicated AMR surveillance network. "All steps — from identifying antimicrobial resistance to specific antibiotics to reporting isolates — are standardized," the official said. T he report focuses on priority pathogens, identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as posing the highest threat to human health due to their resistance to existing antibiotics. The findings show that the majority of AMR isolates were from urine samples (42%), followed by pus aspirates (31%). About 62% of the isolates came from hospitalized patients, and 16% from patients in intensive care units (ICUs). Sources said that AMR organisms have been rising steadily — a trend also highlighted in Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) reports. "In recent years, gram-negative bacteria have shown increased resistance to several commonly used antibiotics. Some bacteria isolated from blood cultures also showed resistance, suggesting that if the correct antibiotics are not administered in time, it can lead to septicaemia — a potentially life-threatening bloodstream infection," said a microbiologist.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Nipah: Experts seek deeper eco studies
Kozhikode: Over the past year, four Nipah infections were reported in Malappuram, including the suspected death of an 18-year-old girl at Makkaraparamba on July 1. Now, deeper studies are being sought to examine whether repeated spillovers of the virus are being caused by ecological factors such as disturbances in bat habitats. Experts have stressed the need for better monitoring of Pteropus fruit bats, the natural carriers of the virus, along with efforts to protect their habitats and raise awareness to reduce human-bat contact. A study published in PLOS Global Public Health in December 2024 pointed out some key findings. It was led by experts including TS Anish, nodal officer of Kerala One Health Centre for Nipah Research and Resilience. The study said that four of the six Nipah outbreaks in Kerala (2018, 2019, 2023, July 2024) happened during El Nino years. All six took place between May and Sept, which is the fruit ripening season. It said that these patterns showed how environmental factors affect man-animal interactions and may lead to Nipah outbreaks. The study also noted that fear during Nipah outbreaks in Kerala led to harmful social behaviour. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo It often caused conflicts between people and animals and ended with more bat habitats being damaged. People were found cutting trees used by bats and using firecrackers to scare them away. Another study in Malaysia said such actions could increase chances of human-bat contact and may cause infected bats to migrate to new areas. Faculty at Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University's centre for wildlife studies (CWS) Dr George Chandy said that field studies conducted by the centre found evidence of destruction of bat roosts in Kozhikode and Wayanad. Dr Chandy said that the exact way Nipah spreads from bats to humans is still unclear. He said it is important not to disturb bat roosts. After every outbreak, it was seen that people destroyed bat habitats in many areas. During student fieldwork, some roosts found in pilot studies were found affected. Dr Chandy said that people had cut tree branches with bat roosts at Pazhassi Park in Mananthavady. Crackers and other methods were used to scare bats which might cause stress and increase virus spread. He said the two main actions needed now are to protect bat habitats and raise awareness to reduce interactions between humans and bats. Prejith K, Associate Professor at KVASU, said that ecological factors in the region should be studied more and added that climate change might be causing stress in bats. "Recurring cases highlight the need to examine if ecological factors including deforestation or land use changes are contributing to habitat loss of bats and inducing stress among bat populations," he said. He added that the growing number of fruit trees in house compounds, including non-native ones, could attract more bats. He said this needs to be studied to understand if it is leading to more human-bat contact.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Medical students learn handling cases caused by CBRNE tragedies
Pune: Students of Govt Medical College, Alibaug, attended a first-of-its-kind training programme on handling mass casualties and injuries caused by CBRNE (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive) tragedies. The content for the two-day workshop was developed by the college under the mentorship of Colonel Santosh K Singh, professor of medicine, Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune, and national coordinator for CBRNE management training. Dr Deodatt Suryawanshi, assistant professor, GMC, said although this is not part of the syllabus, they wanted to make sure that MBBS students are prepared for any untoward incident. "Be it a war or the recent chemical factory blast in Telangana, CBRNE training is a must for doctors. However, at present, it is restricted to specialised personnel in the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the armed forces. Such training is not frequent for medical students, despite their potential frontline role in emergencies, especially in peripheral and rural healthcare systems," he said. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune At the programme held on July 1 and 2 on RCF Campus, Alibaug, the students were taught the START (simple triage and rapid treatment) method, colour coding for casualties using triage tags to determine severity, assessing respiration rate, checking radial pulse or capillary refill, evaluating mental status using commands, high-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) following AHA guidelines, and use of automated external defibrillator. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like local network access control Esseps Learn More Undo by Taboola by Taboola They also practised chest compressions (rate, depth, recoil), rescue breathing, hot zone to cold zone transition (zoning in CBRNE), use of PPE suits for first responders, shower decontamination (dry/wet simulated), safe handling of contaminated material, proper donning and doffing of PPE, use of decontamination stretchers and tents (simulated), and tagging post-decontamination for further triage. Dr Purwa Patil, dean of GMC, said there is an urgent need for disaster preparedness and skill-based medical training in the wake of increasing manmade and natural emergencies. "As many as 105 of our MBBS students actively participated in rigorous simulation-based training that covered triage and victim prioritisation in field conditions, standardised decontamination protocols for hazardous exposure, casualty evacuation and scene safety procedures, and CPR and emergency resuscitation in disaster contexts," she said. Dr Devannad Pawar, associate professor, anaesthesia, GMC, conducted hands-on training in basic life support and CPR — foundational skills for all medical first responders. "Medical students are expected to respond effectively to mass casualty situations, yet most lack structured exposure to high-risk disaster scenarios involving hazardous materials. This workshop addressed that gap by introducing them to the essential knowledge and skills for CBRNE casualty management," he said. Such training will help produce a generation of disaster-ready, system-aware, and clinically competent doctors, prepared to protect public health and safety in times of crisis, Dr Patil said. The workshop was organised by the department of community medicine and the medical education unit of GMC, in collaboration with the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Raigad. The training was conducted by Sagar Pathak, head of DDMA, senior PI Jalinder Funde of NDRF, M K Mhatre, retired assistant deputy controller, Civil Defence, and Dr (Colonel) V N Supenekar, consultant in hospital disaster management, YASHADA. Pune: Students of Govt Medical College, Alibaug, attended a first-of-its-kind training programme on handling mass casualties and injuries caused by CBRNE (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive) tragedies. The content for the two-day workshop was developed by the college under the mentorship of Colonel Santosh K Singh, professor of medicine, Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune, and national coordinator for CBRNE management training. Dr Deodatt Suryawanshi, assistant professor, GMC, said although this is not part of the syllabus, they wanted to make sure that MBBS students are prepared for any untoward incident. "Be it a war or the recent chemical factory blast in Telangana, CBRNE training is a must for doctors. However, at present, it is restricted to specialised personnel in the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the armed forces. Such training is not frequent for medical students, despite their potential frontline role in emergencies, especially in peripheral and rural healthcare systems," he said. At the programme held on July 1 and 2 on RCF Campus, Alibaug, the students were taught the START (simple triage and rapid treatment) method, colour coding for casualties using triage tags to determine severity, assessing respiration rate, checking radial pulse or capillary refill, evaluating mental status using commands, high-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) following AHA guidelines, and use of automated external defibrillator. They also practised chest compressions (rate, depth, recoil), rescue breathing, hot zone to cold zone transition (zoning in CBRNE), use of PPE suits for first responders, shower decontamination (dry/wet simulated), safe handling of contaminated material, proper donning and doffing of PPE, use of decontamination stretchers and tents (simulated), and tagging post-decontamination for further triage. Dr Purwa Patil, dean of GMC, said there is an urgent need for disaster preparedness and skill-based medical training in the wake of increasing manmade and natural emergencies. "As many as 105 of our MBBS students actively participated in rigorous simulation-based training that covered triage and victim prioritisation in field conditions, standardised decontamination protocols for hazardous exposure, casualty evacuation and scene safety procedures, and CPR and emergency resuscitation in disaster contexts," she said. Dr Devannad Pawar, associate professor, anaesthesia, GMC, conducted hands-on training in basic life support and CPR — foundational skills for all medical first responders. "Medical students are expected to respond effectively to mass casualty situations, yet most lack structured exposure to high-risk disaster scenarios involving hazardous materials. This workshop addressed that gap by introducing them to the essential knowledge and skills for CBRNE casualty management," he said. Such training will help produce a generation of disaster-ready, system-aware, and clinically competent doctors, prepared to protect public health and safety in times of crisis, Dr Patil said. The workshop was organised by the department of community medicine and the medical education unit of GMC, in collaboration with the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Raigad. The training was conducted by Sagar Pathak, head of DDMA, senior PI Jalinder Funde of NDRF, M K Mhatre, retired assistant deputy controller, Civil Defence, and Dr (Colonel) V N Supenekar, consultant in hospital disaster management, YASHADA.
