Category Archives: Foodborne Illness

FDA

The FDA, along with CDC, Canadian, state and local partners, has been investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis infections linked to peaches packed or supplied by Prima Wawona or Wawona Packing Company.

The multistate outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis infections linked to peaches from Prima Wawona that were sold in several regions of the United States and Canada, investigated by the FDA, along with CDC and Canadian, state, and local partners, is over. As of October 15, 2020, CDC reported a total of 101 cases across 17 states. This outbreak resulted in recalls of bagged and bulk, or loose, peaches packed or distributed by Prima Wawona. FDA also worked to publicly disclose international distribution of recalled product from Prima Wawona in an effort to facilitate the swift removal of all potentially affected product from the international market. More information about international distribution of the recalled product can be found in the previously published table below. FDA’s traceback investigation, which included 18 cases across eight states, identified multiple distributors, packing facilities, and orchards that supplied peaches during the time period of interest. Investigators from FDA, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) visited Wawona packing facilities and/or orchards that likely supplied peaches to Prima Wawona during the timeframe of interest. FDA’s traceback investigation is ongoing; however, the cause and source of the outbreak has not yet been determined.

Thus far, in an effort to investigate several possible pathways of contamination, FDA has completed over 570 product and environmental sample analyses from multiple facility locations and/or peach orchards, including environmental swabs, peaches and peach tree leaf samples. At this time, sample collection and analysis is underway related to additional peach orchards. A genetic match to the outbreak strain has yet to be identified in any of the samples collected, although a different serotype of Salmonella was detected in one sample collected and analyzed during the investigation. No peaches linked to the positive sample ever reached the marketplace. Although the outbreak is being declared over, FDA will continue its investigation and will communicate any findings that could assist future prevention efforts.

Available recall information is included below.

Recommendation

On August 22, 2020, Prima Wawona recalled bagged and bulk, or loose, peaches that they supplied to retailers nationwide.

The recalled products are now well beyond expiration and likely no longer on the market or in consumers’ homes. However, consumers who may have frozen the recalled bagged peaches packed or supplied by Prima Wawona from June 1, 2020 to August 19, 2020 or the recalled loose/bulk peaches packed or supplied by Prima Wawona from June 1, 2020 to August 3, 2020 should throw them away.