Nut Recall as Warning Issued Over Potential School Lunch Threat

Packages of walnuts have been recalled because they may contain a bacterium that can causes sometimes deadly infections.

California-based Stutz Packing Company has voluntarily recalled packages of Shelled Walnuts as they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, which can cause food poisoning. The bacterium, which can sometimes cause severe illness that needs to be treated at the hospital, was discovered after routine testing.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said in a release issued on Monday that the product was distributed to food bank warehouses in Texas and Arizona “which further distribute to other distribution centers that can go to consumers, or smaller foods banks, school lunch programs, shelters, or prison food systems.”

The product comes in clear plastic packaging with a red-outlined white box printed in the center of the bag, weighing 1 pound each and bearing a UPC code of 7 15001 00908 1 and lot codes 24171 1 or 24172 1.

The FDA said there had been no reported illnesses in relation to the recall so far. An investigation into how the product came to be contaminated is ongoing. Newsweek has contacted Stutz Packing Company for comment via email outside of normal working hours.

Listeria can cause life-threatening illness for the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. It has also been linked to causing miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women.

According to the FDA, symptoms can begin in the days and weeks following infection. Those with a less serious illness may have a range of symptoms that are unpleasant but not life-threatening, including fever, muscle aches, tiredness, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

In the case of a more serious infection, this can result in a headache, a stiff neck, loss of balance, confusion and convulsions.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 1,600 people in the U.S. get listeriosis each year, and about 260 of these individuals die. according to the CDC, listeria is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness across the country.

Any consumers with questions may contact Sasha Morales via email at smorales@stutzpacking.com, or call 760-230-9547 from Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST.

The Stutz Packing Company recall is not the only recent incident involving products that have tested positive for bacteria that cause food poisoning. Earlier this month, two imported chicken products were recalled by the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) after samples were found to contain listeria. In June, 14 states were impacted by a listeria recall involving dozens of sandwiches produced by Classic Delight.