Hormel Foods has issued a voluntary recall of two types of Planters nuts in five states due to potential contamination with the bacteria listeria. The affected products include 4-ounce packages of honey roasted peanuts and 8.75-ounce cans of deluxe lightly salted mixed nuts. These products were distributed to Publix supermarkets in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina, as well as Dollar Tree stores in Georgia and South Carolina.
Hormel advises customers who have purchased the recalled products to either dispose of them or return them to the store for an exchange. It is essential to take precautions to prevent the spread of listeria and protect those who may be at higher risk of complications from infection. Symptoms of listeria infection can include fever, chills, muscle aches, nausea, and diarrhea. Prompt antibiotic treatment can help mitigate the effects of the infection. While most healthy individuals may not experience serious illness from listeria, it can be life-threatening for vulnerable populations such as young children, elderly individuals, those with weakened immune systems and pregnant women are also at risk of complications like miscarriage and stillbirth. Each year roughly 1600 people become infected with listeria resulting in about 260 deaths according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.