Thousands of Marketside celery sticks sold at Walmart are being recalled due to fears of Listeria, a potentially deadly bacterium

If you recently bought celery sticks from Walmart, you’ll want to check to make sure they are not of a certain variety. That’s because a select celery stick product is being recalled due to fears that it may be contaminated with Listeria, a potentially deadly bacterium. Here’s what you need to know.

What is the reason for the recall?

On April 10, Duda Farm Fresh Foods, Inc. of Oxnard, California, issued a voluntary recall for one of its products: a bag of celery sticks sold under the “Marketside” brand, according to a recall notice posted on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website. The company issued the recall because the celery sticks have the possibility to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

Duda Farm Fresh Foods said the possibility for contamination was discovered when the Georgia Department of Agriculture tested multiple samples, and one came back positive for Listeria monocytogenes.

What product is being recalled?

Only one product is being recalled: a bag of celery sticks, but the recall impacts 1,587 cases of the product. Here are the details of the product, according to the recall listing on the FDA’s website:

• Name: Marketside Celery Sticks 4 in/1.6 oz Bundle Pack
• Product UPC Code: 6 81131 16151 0
• Lot Code: P047650
• Best If Used by Date: 03/23/2025
• Pack Size & Packaging: 4/1.6-ounce, bag

It should be noted that while the best-by date of March 23, 2025, has now passed by a few weeks, the recall notice cautions that people may have purchased the celery sticks and kept them frozen in their freezer for use at a later date.

Photographs of the recalled product in its packaging can be found here.

Where were the recalled products sold?

The recalled celery sticks were sold across the nation at Walmart stores in 28 states and the District of Columbia. Here are the states where the recalled products were sold:

• Alabama
• California
• Colorado
• District of Columbia
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Iowa
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Maryland
• Michigan
• Missouri
• Montana
• North Carolina
• New Jersey
• New York
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Virginia
• Wisconsin
• West Virginia
• Wyoming

What is Listeria?

Listeria is a bacterium that has the possibility to cause severe illness in people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The agency says Listeria infections are “the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the United States.” It is estimated that 1,600 people become infected each year in the United States, and as many as 260 of those die.

Relatively healthy people can fully recover from a Listeria infection. However, infection can present a more grave danger to certain types of people. This includes individuals who are pregnant, newborns, people aged 65 or above, and those with weakened immune systems.

What are the symptoms of a Listeria infection?

A Listeria infection can present with several symptoms depending on your other physical conditions and the type of infection you have (invasive or intestinal illness).

The CDC says that symptoms of invasive illness (where the bacteria has spread beyond the gut) in pregnant people include:

• Fever
• Flu-like symptoms, such as muscle aches and fatigue

In individuals who are not pregnant, symptoms of invasive illness can include:

• Fever
• Flu-like symptoms, such as muscle aches and fatigue
• Headache
• Stiff neck
• Confusion
• Loss of balance
• Seizures

Those who have intestinal Listeria illness usually have the following symptoms:

• Diarrhea
• Vomiting

Has anyone been harmed by the recalled product?

Thankfully, according to the notice on the FDA website, no illnesses have yet been reported as a result of the products associated with this recall.

What do I do if I have the recalled celery sticks?

You should check your refrigerators and freezers for the recalled product. If you have it in your possession, you should not consume it. Instead, you should discard the recalled product.

“Consumers who have this product in their possession, including in their freezer, should not consume and discard the product,” the recall notice states.

You can find the full details of the product recall here.

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