Tomatoes urgently recalled over risk of 'serious adverse health consequences or death'

Daily Record

3 days ago

A highly serious recall alert has been issued for the fruits due to Salmonella fears
Packs of tomatoes have been urgently recalled in the US, as they were found to present a risk of "serious adverse health consequences or death.' Tomatoes from Williams Farm Repack LLC have been stripped from shelves in a highly serious Class I recall by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Williams Farm began recalling the tomatoes on April 30 over concerns that they were contaminated with Salmonella. At that time, the company said no related illnesses had been reported, and the recall has now been risen to the highest possible level.
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The infected tomatoes ended up in three US states- Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. There were 50 three-pack trays of tomatoes that had made their way onto store shelves, along with 77 10-pound boxes, and 419 60-count two-layer boxes.
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Affected batches have the lot numbers R4467 and R4470, with the Williams Farm Repack label or an H&C Farms label.
US customers are being urged not to consume the products, and instead to return the tomatoes to their place of purchase for a refund.
A Class I recall is 'a situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death", according to the FDA.
Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal illness in children or elderly people.
Its symptoms includes diarrhoea, abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea, and fever.
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The UK has seen an outbreak of Salmonella recently, that resulted in 20 infections, 13 of which were children.
Five of these individuals were hospitalised.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) linked the illness to an unusual strain known as Salmonella Saintpaul, which was responsible for an outbreak in 2023 where 90 people fell ill after consuming cantaloupe.
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However, experts have stated that there is no evidence to suggest that melons are the cause of the current outbreak.
According to the UKHSA, people began falling ill in February this year, with cases reported in the North West of England, the West Midlands, the South West, and the East of England.
Only one of these cases was recorded in Scotland.
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The cases of Salmonella were reported in February and March, and an investigation into the outbreak is still underway.
The ages of those who have fallen ill range from one to 88 years old.
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Gauri Godbole, deputy director of gastrointestinal infections at the UKHSA, said: "UKHSA is investigating a small outbreak of Salmonella and no cases have been identified since March 2025.
"Gastrointestinal bacteria, such as Salmonella, can be spread from person to person as well as from food, so anyone with diarrhoea or vomiting should wash their hands thoroughly after using the bathroom and avoid handling food or preparing food for others where possible.
"Please avoid returning to work or sending unwell children to school or nursery until at least 48 hours after symptoms have cleared."
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