Possible Listeria Contamination Triggers Trader Joe’s Edamame Recall

News of a possible Listeria contamination has Trader Joe’s issuing a recall on its Lightly Salted Edamame packs. 

Trader’s Joe’s says its Lightly Salted Edamame product has the potential of being contaminated with the organism. 

Tesoros Trading Co., Trader Joe’s supplier of the recalled edamame, says this recall only applies to products bought in Southern Nevada, Southern California, Arizona, and Utah stores. 

The company says all affected edamame products have been removed from shelves and destroyed but some packages may already have been sold before. 

Trader Joe’s shoppers who buy their Lightly Salted Edamame are advised to check if they have these lot numbers and if so, to throw them out: 

• 22LA102 M
• 22LA102 N
• 22LA102 P

Trader Joe’s is offering full refunds and is providing a hotline for consumers to contact for more information: (702)706-5263. 

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

Trader Joe’s says they take food safety seriously and have a page on their website keeping their shoppers up to date on alerts from their suppliers. 

“We err on the side of caution and are proactive in addressing issues.  We take action quickly, aggressively investigating potential problems and removing product from sale if there is any doubt about its safety or quality,” Trader Joe’s says on their product safety page. 

Trader Joe’s so far in 2020 has issued four alerts on their food. 

Two products in October and September had undeclared ingredients, prompting an advisory.

There were wheat and milk components to their battered Halibut that went unlisted, an issue for those with allergies. 

In September, Trader Joe’s sent a warning their sweet potato bowl contained milk and eggs that weren’t on the label.

Listeria contamination is currently an issue on the east coast of the U.S. 

In October, a person from Florida died from a Listeria outbreak among certain deli meat products. The CDC says they’re currently investigating the source, but suspect “prepackaged deli meats and meats sliced at deli counters at various locations.”

So far 10 cases, including the one fatality, have been reported in Florida, New York and Massachusetts, according to CDC data published by FoodPoisoningBulletin.com. 

Canada’s Food Inspection Agency, following their advisory on Dec. 7, has expanded on a related recall listing specific deli meat products that could be contaminated with Listeria. 

The Canadian agency says an investigation into this outbreak is ongoing and could result in more recalls. 

The reality is thousands of products are recalled every year for potential safety issues. Beyond food, it can also include really anything that is sold, from medicines and durable goods to pet and baby products. 

Did you buy Trader Joe’s Lightly Salted Edamame? Are you going to throw out the product? Share your experience with us in the comments below.

Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:

• Romaine Lettuce Recall Issued Over E. Coli Concerns
• Walmart Supplier Country Fresh Expands Fresh Cut Fruit Recall
• FDA Discusses Better Testing Methods for Finding Asbestos in Baby Powder
• Can a Company Record Phone Calls?