Avocados grown in California and sold in bulk by the Henry Avocado Corporation are being recalled in six states due to potential listeria monocytogenes contamination.
Listeria bacteria’s symptoms include fever, muscle aches, diarrhea, loss of balance, and confusion and is treated with antibiotics. It can be especially dangerous for pregnant women, because the bacteria can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening illnesses in newborns. Those with weakened immune systems, including the elderly, are also at a higher risk of listeria infections.
“Henry Avocado is issuing this voluntary recall out of an abundance of caution due to positive test results on environmental samples taken during a routine government inspection at its California packing facility,” according to the company’s statement.
There have yet to be any reported illnesses associated with the recall. The six states impacted include Arizona, California, Florida, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.
Henry Avocado is a family-owned and managed company. The company began packing avocados in the facility where the outbreak took place starting in late January 2019. “We are voluntarily recalling our products and taking every action possible to ensure the safety of consumers who eat our avocados,” Phil Henry, president of Henry Avocado, said in a statement.
But don’t start rationing guacamole for the avocado apocalypse just yet. Avocados imported from Mexico haven’t been affected by the recall, according to Henry Avocado, and are safe to be consumed and sold.
