Recall Issued After Supplier Ships Frozen Asparagus with Listeria Issue

The Pictsweet Company has recalled 1,872 cases of Pictsweet Farms 8-ounce Steam’ables Asparagus Spears after it was notified by the manufacturer that product suspected of containing Listeria monocytogenes was inadvertently shipped to The Pictsweet Company.

It is hard to know exactly how this happened.  Perhaps a test-and-hold program that didn't hold too well?  Or a sample was taken for testing and that lot of product was not held?  The next question is whether this supplier has a larger Listeria issue extending beyond this lot.

https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm625788.htm
The Pictsweet Company Recalls 8-ounce Steam’ables Asparagus Spears due to Potential for Listeria Monocytogenes
For Immediate Release
November 13, 2018


Contact
Consumers  800-527-0986
Media  Gene Grabowski  202-270-6560
Announcement

The Pictsweet Company has recalled 1,872 cases of Pictsweet Farms 8-ounce Steam’ables Asparagus Spears because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. 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. 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.

The recall affects only Pictsweet Farms 8-ounce Steam’ables Asparagus Spears identified by UPC code 0 70560 97799 9 with production codes beginning with the following six digits: 2138XD and a “BEST BY AUG 1, 2020.” A photo of the package is included with this release. The following information is printed on the back panel of each package (bag) as shown below.

2138XD PROD OF USA  BEST BY AUG 01 2020

No illnesses have been reported to date and no other Pictsweet Farms products are impacted by this recall.

The states in which the product was distributed are as follows: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

The company initiated this recall after it was notified by the manufacturer that product suspected of containing Listeria monocytogenes was inadvertently shipped to The Pictsweet Company.

Consumers who have purchased Pictsweet Farms 8 ounce Steam’ables Asparagus Spears with the code listed above may contact our consumer affairs line at 1-800-527-0986 from 9am to 5pm Central Standard Time, Monday – Friday or return the product to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Media Contact: Gene Grabowski, 202-270-6560