Vegetable Recall as Dire Warning Issued Over Listeria Contamination Fears

Bags of soybean sprouts sold by the company Nam & Son have been recalled across the country after traces of an organism which can cause fatal infection in young children and elderly people was found in a random sample of the product, as reported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The recall was ordered by the Maryland-headquartered company on Thursday and announced by the FDA on the same day. The federal agency reported that Nam & Son of Maryland was recalling one-pound bags of soybean sprouts with the sell-by date of December 14 because they could potentially be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

This pathogenic bacteria, which was detected after a random sample was collected and analyzed by the state of Virginia, can cause short-term symptoms like high fever, severe headaches, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea among healthy individuals. The disease linked to Listeria monocytogenes is called listeriosis.

It can create severe and even fatal symptoms among young children, the elderly and those with a weakened immune system. Listeria monocytogenes is also dangerous for pregnant women, as it can cause miscarriages and stillbirths.

It can normally be found in moist environments, soil, water, decaying vegetation and animals, according to the FDA. It can survive and even grow when refrigerated and subjected to other food preservation measures.

The FDA wrote that no illnesses related to the product have been reported to date. The affected products have been distributed in Virginia between December 6 and 7 and are sold into a 1lb plastic bag labeled under the Nam & Son of MD DBA Sam Sung S & M Food.

Retailers who have the affected product in their stores should remove it from their shelves. Consumers who have purchased the product should throw it out or return it to the place they bought it from and ask for a full refund. If you had the product stored in your fridge, the agency recommends washing the inside walls and shelves of the appliance.

The FDA strongly advises consumers to contact their health providers should they have any illness concerns related to the consumption of the product. Consumers can also call the product's company at 443-896-6738 to ask any question related to it. The number is monitored 24 hours EST from Monday to Sunday.

Reached by Newsweek, the company did not have any information to add as of Friday afternoon.

The federal agency wrote that the Maryland company is still investigating how the bacteria ended up in the product. According to the FDA, the bacteria is generally transmitted when food is harvested, processed, prepared, packed, transported or stored in environments contaminated with it.

Past outbreaks of listeriosis in the U.S. have been linked to different types of food, according to the FDA, including raw, unpasteurized milks and cheeses, ice cream, raw or processed vegetables, raw or processed fruits, raw or undercooked poultry, sausages, hot dogs, deli meats, raw or smoked fish and other seafood and even raw pet food.