Listeria fears grow as 27 vegetables sold at Walmart, Aldi and thousands of other stores across the country are recalled

Dozens of types of vegetables have been recalled in several states due to a sometimes fatal disease.

Earlier this month, Ohio-based Wiers Farm Inc. voluntarily disclosed that some of its whole and packaged salad cucumbers sold at select Walmarts in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio may have been compromised.

Officials said the measure was taken “out of an abundance of caution” and that they suspected the products were contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The bacteria can cause a deadly infection known as listeriosis — an illness that FDA officials said Thursday prompted them to expand the recall. The affected produce, they said, was packaged between July 5 and July 12. Now, the list of contaminated vegetables includes certain peppers, beans and squash.

The warning applies to Walmarts in 13 states and to supermarkets such as Aldi and Kroger.

The warning applies to Walmarts in 13 states, as well as grocery stores like Aldi and Kroger. A Walmart in Kentucky, one of the states that has been asked to remove its inventory, is shown here

‘Consumers who have consumed the product in question[s] and experience symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, and gastrointestinal discomfort should seek medical attention,” the FDA warning said.

‘Consumers have to throw away products[s]’, it continued.

‘The product in question is past its expiration date and should not be sold anymore. But if consumers have a product they have doubts about, do not consume it, but throw it away.’

The states where the potentially contaminated vegetables could be sold were mainly on the East Coast, at Walmarts in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia.

Aldi stores in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia were told their vegetables may also be contaminated.

The recall includes green beans, bell peppers, zucchini, jalapeños and more. The recall has been expanded to include green beans and jalapeños sold under the Freshire Farms brand, an Aldi brand.

A total of 27 products were affected, some of which were sold individually or in bulk at Walmart, Krogers and Save-a-Lots across the country.

No cases have been reported yet, but U.S. health authorities are investigating a deadly outbreak of listeria that spread in the form of freshly cut meats.

The recalled products include green beans, bell peppers, zucchini, jalapeños and more. The recall has been expanded to include green beans and jalapeños sold under the Freshire Farms brand, an Aldi brand.

The bacteria can cause a deadly infection known as listeriosis — an illness that FDA officials said Thursday prompted them to expand the recall. The affected products, they said, were packaged between July 5 and July 12

The disease has been responsible for two deaths and 28 hospitalizations in 12 states, with New York recording the most serious cases.

However, the dead came from Illinois and New Jersey, with federal authorities still investigating what happened.

People who ate the contaminated produce reported symptoms such as fever, pain and gastrointestinal discomfort, something that could happen to vegetable lovers in more than half the country if a new outbreak occurs.

Wiers Farm said in a statement that it was “taking all necessary measures to fully resolve this situation,” as listeria can be especially deadly for people over 65.

However, the victims of the previous outbreak ranged in age from 32 to 94. The average age of those affected was 75.

Although the new batch of potentially affected products has already passed its expiration date and is no longer in circulation, they could still be in the refrigerators and pantries of unsuspecting people.

Symptoms include feeling like you’re getting the flu, so see the full list of recalled products below.

For more information, including what to do if you suspect you have been infected, visit the FDA website.