A recall of hundreds of frozen waffle products and other toaster foods sold in many U.S. grocery stores has expanded due to potential contamination with dangerous listeria bacteria, the manufacturer announced Tuesday.
The private-label food manufacturer TreeHouse Foods Inc. issued a limited recall on October 18 after routine testing detected listeria at its factory in Brantford, Ontario. Further testing indicated that additional manufacturing lines at the facility might also be contaminated. Production has been halted, and the company plans to resume operations after implementing measures including “deep cleaning, sanitation, hygienic restoration,” and other safety procedures.
The company operates 26 facilities in the U.S. and Canada that produce private-label foods and beverages. Officials confirmed that no other plants were affected.
What Stores Have Been Affected?
The products were packed under various names and store brands sold at most retail stores, including but not limited to the following:
- Acme
- Albertsons:
- Aldi:
- Associated Wholesale Grocers:
- Amazon
- Brookshire Grocery:
- Dollar General:
- Food Lion
- Giant Eagle:
- Store brand
- Nature’s Basket
- Hannaford:
- Store brands and Nature’s Promise brand
- Kroger and Harris Teeter:
- Kroger
- Harris Teeter
- Simple Truth
- Private Selection
- H-E-B:
- Central Market (store brands, Higher Harvest)
- Northeast Grocery:
- Price Chopper (PICS)
- Tops Friendly Markets (Tops)
- Publix:
- Safeway:
- Schnuck Markets:
- Southeastern Grocers:
- Stop & Shop
- Target:
- Good & Gather
- Bettergoods
- Trader Joe’s:
- United Natural Foods:
- Wegmans:
- Whole Foods Market:
- Walmart:
TreeHouse Foods urges consumers to check their freezers for recalled products from the full list here.
What to Do If You Have a Recalled Product?
No illnesses linked to the recall have been confirmed. However, consumers who have the recalled products at home are advised not to eat them and should either discard them or return them to stores for a refund. Health officials recommend thoroughly cleaning and sanitizing refrigerators to prevent contamination of other foods.
What Happens If You Get Listeria Poisoning?
Listeria is an infection caused by bacteria, most commonly by Listeria monocytogenes. When listeria infects the intestines, it can lead to gastrointestinal symptoms similar to other foodborne illnesses, including diarrhea and vomiting, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Intestinal listeria infections typically begin within 24 hours of consuming contaminated food, with symptoms usually being mild and resolving within three days.
Other potential symptoms may include:
- Headaches
- Stiff neck
- Confusion
- Loss of balance
- Seizures
If you experience symptoms of a listeria infection and suspect you may have eaten contaminated food, it is important to contact your healthcare provider.
