U.S.: Listeria concerns prompt pre-emptive Henry Avocado recall

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U.S.: Listeria concerns prompt pre-emptive Henry Avocado recall

Avocados imported from Mexico and distributed by Henry Avocado are not subject to the recall and may continue to be sold and consumed.

Henry Avocado Corporation has voluntarily recalled California-grown whole avocados sold in bulk at retail stores after environmental sampling tests at its packing facility came up positive for Listeria monocytogenes.

The tests were part of a routine government inspection at Henry Avocado's facility, leading the company to take this action "out of an abundance of caution" due to the potential fruit could have been contaminated by the bacteria.

When the announcement was made on March 23 there had been no reported illnesses associated with this recall. 

ā€œWe are voluntarily recalling our products and taking every action possible to ensure the safety of consumers who eat our avocados,ā€ says Henry Avocado president Phil Henry.

The recalled products ā€“ California-grown conventional and organic avocados ā€” were packed at Henry Avocadoā€™s packing facility in California and distributed in Arizona, California, Florida, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Wisconsin. 

All shipments from the packing facility are subject to the recall, with Henry Avocado noting packing did not begin at the California facility until late January 2019.

Avocados imported from Mexico and distributed by Henry Avocado are not subject to the recall and may continue to be sold and consumed.

Henry Avocado is contacting all affected customers to confirm that the recalled products are immediately removed from store shelves. 

For conventional products purchased at retail, consumers can identify the recalled products by the ā€œBravocadoā€ stickers.

Henry Avocado organic products do not carry the ā€œBravocadoā€ label on the sticker.  Instead those products are labeled ā€œorganicā€ and include ā€œCaliforniaā€ on the sticker.  Retailers can identify Henry Avocado organic products by the bar code on the stickers.

Henry Avocado Corporation is fully cooperating with federal and California health officials to facilitate an efficient and complete recall of these avocados.

Consumers who have purchased any recalled avocados are urged not to consume them, but to discard them or return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.  Consumers with further questions may contact Henry Avocado at (760) 745-6632, Ext 132 or visit www.henryavocado.com/media

Listeria monocytogenes 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, Listeriainfection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

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