Vidalia Onions Recalled Over Potential Listeria Contamination

A&M Farms has issued a recall for its whole Vidalia onions due to potential Listeria contamination.

The recall affects Vidalia onions from A&M Farms that were also sold under the Little Bear brand. The affected onions have a PLU number of 4159 and the Little Bear brand name on PLU sticker.

The potentially contaminated onions were sold in bulk in the produce section of Wegman stores in Massachusetts, the Rochester area of New York, and the Erie West and Erie Peach Street Wegmans stores in Pennsylvania, from June 23 to 24.

In addition, from June 22 to 24, the recalled onions were sold at Publix in Florida and in stores throughout Georgia, including Barrow, Clarke, DeKalb, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Oconee, and Walton counties.

The onions were also shipped to Sam’s Club stores in North Carolina, but never made it to the consumer level.

A&M Farms said no other onions are included in the recall and it has not received any reports of illness or adverse events from the possibly contaminated Vidalia onions.

The Listeria contamination was discovered in the onions on a single packing line, which is cleaned and sanitized regularly, the company said.

“We stopped packing on the implicated line, and I am personally overseeing a full cleaning and sanitation of the equipment and an internal review of our processes," Aries Haygood, co-owner of A&M Farms, said in a statement.

Listeria infections can cause serious and, in some instances, fatal infections in children, elderly adults, and those with weakened immune systems. Healthy people may also experience short-term symptoms, including high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Listeria illnesses can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths.

A&M Farms is urging consumers who purchased the affected onions not to consume them. The onions should be disposed of and can be returned to the place of purchase with a receipt for a refund.

Questions about the recall can be directed to A&M Farms' information desk at 1-912-585-2058, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET.