If you’ve recently bought any product, specifically frozen vegetables from the brands Wellsley Farms Organic, True Goodness, Organic by Nature and Schwan’s Frozen Vegetables; than be wary it could contain Listeria monocytogenes. These pathogens can cause influenza-like symptoms, such as, persisting fever, feeling weak, stiff necks, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, headaches and ⅕ of the times, death. In pregnant women it could cause miscarriage, premature birth and infections. 

Watch out
Fortunately, there have been no reports of Listeria since the last friday. The products that may have been contaminated include the following: True Goodness be Meijer, 10 oz Organic Petite Green Peas with UPC 713733430999 and best by date 11/26/2017; True Goodness By Meijer 10 oz. Organic White Sweet Corn with UPC 713733430982 and best by date 11/21/2017; Wellsley Farms Organic 4 lb. Organic Mixed Veg with UPC 888670010136 and best by date 10/25/2017; Wellsley Farms Organic 4 lb. Organic Green Peas with UPC 888670009970 and best by date 2/10/2017; Wellsley Farms Organic 4 lb. Organic Green Peas with UPC 888670009970 and best by date 2/15/2018; Schwan’s, 16 oz. Organic SS Yellow & White Cut Corn with UPC 007218060433 2B5320.

Although no Listeria cases have been reported they could take up to 70 days after exposure for the infection to develop and be noticeable enough to discern it from other illnesses. It’s recommended that you throw away the product labeled as dangerous or that you return it to the store from where you’ve bought them.

Pertinent authorities have already begun investigating the origin of the contaminated products and have yet to release any findings. This is curious case because it’s just 8 days after the Hepatitis A outbreak in Canada due to Berry Cherry blend products. Hepatitis is a viral liver disease that can be easily transmitted through food and water sources. Now this is the nasty part, this disease is transmitted when an infected person’s feces come in contact with a non-infected person who is not vaccinated against this disease. 

Of course these diseases could be prevented and cured, but it raises the question, where the sanitation methods inadequate? Who is the culprit? I don’t know you but I find it hard to believe that major companies can let something so essential and easy like washing your hands and basic hygiene slip away like that.

To all those reading this, if you are feeling sick and some of your symptoms match with those mentioned above, it’s better to be safe than sorry and seek medical attention immediately. Listeria is a highly virulent disease and can be transmitted fairly quickly do it’s low notoriety and ways of transmission, which are foods. 

Seek Medical Attention
To those feeling lack of appetite, dark coloured urine, nausea, jaundice and fever beware, those are symptoms of hepatitis A and they could be treated on time and save your life, hepatitis A is rarely fatal. Please do not self medicate and diagnose yourself because both diseases can take weeks or months to develop and both are infections so they will stick around and transmit with poor hygiene.