A recent case of listeria contamination prompted a recall that might have you opting out of the soybean appetizer next time you go out for sushi. If you're one of the millions of people who stashes edamame in your fridge or freezer, you might want to ditch it too, because listeriosis is a risk that you definitely don't want to take. Wondering how to tell if your edamame was recalled? There are a few ways to figure it out.
According to the FDA, the company whose product has been pulled is California-based Advanced Fresh Concepts Franchise Corp (AFC). AFC's contaminated edamame was found during internal, random quality testing. The packaging of their product is white, features a bowl of unshelled edamame, and reads: "Edamame – Soybeans in Pods" on the front. The FDA's website shares that the product was sold in "designated retail sushi counters within grocery stores, cafeterias, and corporate dining centers" in 33 states, which are listed below:
Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Washington D.C., Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming.
Products dated Jan. 3 through March 17 and stamped with UPC code 0-23012-00261-9 are affected by AFC's edamame recall, and should be removed from your kitchen immediately. Consumers are encouraged to return their products to their place of purchase, where they'll receive a full refund. The company's press release addressing the recall can be found here. Romper has reached out to AFC for comment on the recall but has not yet heard back.
As uncomfortable as listeriosis (the illness caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes) symptoms can be for anyone affected, some groups have a bit more as stake. Whereas healthy people would experience "high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain or diarrhea for a short time" as a result of listeria contamination, these risks are much higher for pregnant women, as well as young children and elderly individuals. Pregnant women in particular can suffer "miscarriage, premature delivery, serious infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth" as a result of infection.
Caused by eating food contaminated by Listeria monocytogenes, the CDC reports that about 1,600 people suffer from listeriosis annually, resulting in around 260 deaths. Luckily, as of now, no cases of listeriosis have been reported in relation to AFC's recall.
Though soy beans are definitely an easy, tasty snack, double-check your product before consumption. And if you've just got to have them, go for another brand of edamame for a little while to ensure you stay as safe as possible.
