FDA escalates Walmart broccoli recall

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A recall over Walmart-sold broccoli florets has been escalated to Class I, the highest threat level, as consumers are warned to discard the food products over potential contamination.

Braga Fresh has been recalling some packages of its ready-to-eat 12oz Marketside Broccoli Florets since Dec. 27. The FDA announced the recall on Dec. 31 and recently upgraded its classification.

Class I recalls, which are the most serious category of FDA food recalls, refer to “situation[s] in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.”

The recall only pertains to 12oz bags of Marketside Broccoli Florets sold at Walmart stores. The recalled products have a UPC code of “6 81131 32884 5” on the back of the bag, and a best-by date of Dec 10, 2024. The products also contain a a lot code of “BFFG327A6”.

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Braga said sales of the broccoli florets occurred at Walmart stores in 20 states. (Food and Drug Administration)

“All potentially affected products are past their expiration date and no longer for sale,” the Braga Foods statement read. “This voluntary advisory does not apply to any other Marketside or Braga Fresh produced products.”

“This product is past its [best-by date] and is no longer in stores, but consumers may have frozen the item for later use,” the release added. “Consumers who have this product in their freezers should not consume and discard the product.”

According to the statement, the recall was initiated “due to possibility of contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.”

“The potential for contamination was discovered during random sampling by Texas Health & Human Services from a Texas store location where one of multiple samples yielded a positive test result,” the statement read.

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A sign for the Food And Drug Administration is seen outside of the headquarters on July 20, 2020, in White Oak, Maryland. (Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images / Getty Images)

The Walmart locations that received the potentially affected product are located in Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

Though no illnesses have been reported in connection to the products, Listeria monocytogenes can lead to listeriosis, which is especially deadly to pregnant women, older adults and people with weakened immune systems.

“Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria monocytogenes infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women,” the FDA said in a statement.

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