Dozen popular guacamoles recalled because they’re contaminated with deadly bug

Nearly a dozen guacamoles, peppers, and vegetables have been given the FDA’s most dangerous warning label, health officials announced. 

In July, Michigan-based Supreme Service Solutions LLC voluntarily recalled 19 products sold in Kroger stores due to them possibly being contaminated with listeria, a foodborne bacteria that kills about one in five sufferers. 

The FDA announced last month that 11 of the 19 recalled products were given a ‘Class 1’ designation, meaning that there is a ‘reasonable probability’ that exposure to the eggs ‘will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.’

No illnesses or deaths have been reported.  

The affected products were sold at Kroger stores in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, and Ohio.  

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All affected vegetables were sold in clear plastic containers.  

The FDA noted that all involved products should be past their ‘best buy’ dates, which ranged from July 9 to July 28. 

In a company announcement, the manufacturer said that the ‘potential contamination’ was discovered during routine sampling by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. 

That investigation prompted Supreme Service Solutions LLC to initiate a voluntary recall.  

Listeria, also called Listeriosis, is a serious infection caused by eating food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. 

It can be found in moist environments, soil, water, decaying vegetation and animals, and can survive refrigeration and other food preservation measures. 

Many foods can harbor the bug, but it is usually found in unpasteurized milk, soft cheeses and ready-to-eat foods, such as prepacked sandwiches. Cooked shellfish, cured meats and fish including sushi and pre-cut fruit are also a risk.

Most people who eat food contaminated with Listeria will not fall seriously ill. But in some cases, it can cause confusion and seizures, miscarriage in pregnant women, and even death.

This can happen when the infection spreads beyond the gut and can affect the central nervous system, which can lead to numbness and seizures. 

The CDC estimates that 1,600 Americans become infected with listeria every year, and about 260 die.  

The FDA advised customers to discard affected products.