Avocados Recalled Amid Listeria Concerns

Henry Avocado, one of the nation’s largest avocado producers, announced Saturday that they are recalling avocados due to potential contamination of listeria monocytogenes.

The recall includes California-grown conventional and organic avocados, and were packed at Henry Avocado’s packing facility in California. The avocados were sent to bulk stores in Arizona, California, Florida, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Wisconsin. The facility did not start packing avocados until late January 2019, and all shipments are subject to the recall.

Avocados that have been imported from Mexico and distributed by Henry Avocado are not subject to the recall, and may continue to be sold and consumed.

“Henry Avocado is issuing this voluntary recall out of an abundance of caution due to positive test results on environmental samples taken during a routine government inspection at its California packing facility” according to the company’s statement. At this time, no illnesses have been reported.

Listeria can cause serious infections and can sometimes be fatal to young children, the frail or elderly, and those with weakened immune systems. Listeria is particularly concerning for pregnant women as it can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery, or a life-threatening infection in a newborn.

Symptoms of Listeria infection include high fever, severe headaches, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. For more information on Listeria, click here.

The company has stated that they are contacting all retail customers to ensure all Henry avocados subject to the recall have been pulled from the shelves. The company is advising consumers to check the stickers on their avocados. The conventional avocados have a sticker that says “Bravocado”. Henry Avocado organic products do not carry the “Bravocado” label on the sticker. Instead those products are labeled “organic” and include “California” on the sticker. If consumers have organic avocados, retailers can identify the products by the bar code on the sticker.

Henry Avocado is urging consumers to return the products to the store they were purchased for a refund, or to discard the product.

“We are voluntarily recalling our products and taking every action possible to ensure the safety of consumers who eat our avocados,” Phil Henry, President of Henry Avocado said in the company’s statement. The company is working with federal and California health officials to facilitate an efficient and complete recall of the avocados.

Consumers with further questions may contact Henry Avocado at (760) 745-6632, Ext 132 or visit www.henryavocado.com/media

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