MI Listeria Recall: Contaminated Broccoli Could Be Deadly

MICHIGAN — Federal authorities this week classified a recall of broccoli sold at Walmart stores in Michigan as Class 1, meaning there is a reasonable probability the recalled product will cause serious illness or death.

The classification was updated Monday on the voluntary recall of Marketside broccoli florets by California-based Braga Fresh Foods, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which reported the product may have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The nearly 6,000 cases of 12-ounce packages of washed and ready-to-eat florets were sold at Walmart stores in Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

The potential for contamination was discovered when one of multiple samples from a Texas store yielded a positive test result during random sampling by Texas Health and Human Services.

The florets had a “best if used by” date of Dec. 10, 2024, meaning the product is no longer in stores, but customers who may have frozen the broccoli for future use should discard it. The UPC code on the product is 6 81131 32884 5 and the lot code is BFFG327A6.

No illnesses have been reported in connection with the product, according to the recall.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, or frail or elderly people, as well as others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy people may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, the infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

Anyone with questions about the recall can call 877-456-7445 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pacific Standard Time from Monday to Friday or email WeCare@bragafresh.com.