Amalgamated Produce Recalls Sprouts in the North Eastern US: Listeria Contamination

CONTACT: AMALGAMATED PRODUCE, INC. (800)358-3808

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — APRIL 9, 2009 — AMALGAMATED PRODUCE, INC. (API), BRIDGEPORT, CT, ANNOUNCED A VOLUNTARY RECALL TODAY OF ITS SPECIALTY FARMS, VERMONT SPROUT HOUSE, NATURE’S PROMISE AND BROCCOSPROUTS (NOTED AS DISTRIBUTED BY API, BRIDGEPORT, CT) SPROUT ITEMS WITH SELL BY DATE CODES OF MARCH 31 THROUGH APRIL 27, 2009.

THESE SPROUTS ARE BEING RECALLED BECAUSE THEY MAY HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE CONTAMINATED WITH LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES (LM). LM IS AN ORGANISM WHICH CAN CAUSE SERIOUS AND SOMETIMES FATAL INFECTIONS IN YOUNG CHILDREN, FRAIL OR ELDERLY PEOPLE AND OTHERS WITH WEAKENED IMMUNE SYSTEMS. ALTHOUGH HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS 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.

THERE HAVE BEEN NO CASES OF LISTERIOSIS REPORTED TO DATE IN CONNECTION WITH THESE PRODUCTS AND API IS ISSUING THIS RECALL AS A PRECAUTION.

AMALGAMATED PRODUCE, INC. VOLUNTARILY RECALLED THESE SPROUTS AFTER LABORATORY ANALYSIS IN A FINISHED PRODUCT SAMPLE COLLECTED BY THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS TESTED POSITIVE.

THE FOLLOWING DESCRIBES THE PRODUCTS THAT ARE BEING RECALLED. ALL THESE PRODUCTS HAVE A SELL BY DATE CODE FROM MARCH 31 THROUGH APRIL 27, 2009. ALL THESE ITEMS ARE NET WEIGHT 4 OUNCES, WITH THE NOTED EXCEPTION OF NATURE’S PROMISE ORGANIC ALFALFA 8 OUNCE.

THE ABOVE ITEMS ARE ALL IN PLASTIC CONTAINERS, EXCEPT FOR THE NATURE’S PROMISE 8 OUNCE ORGANIC ALFALFA WHICH IS IN A PLASTIC BAG. PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES:

NY, NJ, CT, RI, MA, NH, VT, ME, MD, PA & DELAWARE

API IS CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF DETERMINING EXACTLY WHERE THIS POTENTIAL LM CONTAMINATION COULD BE OCCURRING IN ITS FACILITY AND IS IMMEDIATELY REMEDYING THE POTENTIAL SOURCES AS THEY ARE IDENTIFIED. API HOPES TO RETURN TO FULL SPROUT PRODUCTION SOON. CONSUMERS WHO HAVE PURCHASED THIS PRODUCT ARE URGED TO RETURN THEM TO THE POINT OF PURCHASE FOR REFUND AND MAY CONTACT API WITH QUESTIONS AT (800)358-3808 BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 9:00 A.M. TO 5:00 P.M. EST.