Bean and soy sprouts grown by a longtime Miami farm recalled due to possible listeria
A Miami farm has voluntarily recalled bags of bean sprouts and soy sprouts as a precaution due to possible exposure to listeria monocytogenes.
What sprouts are in the recall?
The Oct. 5 recall, made by Fullei Fresh, a company run by three generations of the Wong family in Miami, affected lots numbered consecutively between 251 and 271, according to a recall alert posted by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration on Thursday. The sprouts were harvested and shipped to distributors between Sept. 14 and Oct. 5.
Both conventional and organic bean sprouts as well as soy sprouts are in the recall. “No other products are affected at this time as they are grown and packed in segregated departments,” according to the notice.
▪ Fullei Fresh conventional bean sprouts are sold in 5 pound bulk, 10 pound bulk and 8 ounce retail packs.
▪ Organic bean sprouts are sold in 5 pound bulk and four ounce retail packs. Soy sprouts are sold in 5 and 10 pound bulk.
The lot numbers are printed on the retail packs and on bulk cardboard boxes in the barcode — the last 3 digits.
Why listeria is a problem
Listeria monocytogenes can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Healthy people may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, but the infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women, the recall alert noted.
According to the CDC, an estimated 1,600 people get listeriosis each year, and about 260 die.
A Miami sprout farm
Fullei Fresh, a sprout grower on Northeast 67th Street, was founded in Miami in 1978 by Manny Wong whose father started growing sprouts in Cuba in 1938, according to the company’s website. Fullei Fresh expanded its line in the early 1990s to include several varieties of sprouts, sprout powders and accessories.
There have been no known illnesses reported in connection with Fullei Fresh’s recalled bean and soy sprouts, according to the FDA and Florida Department of Agriculture alert.
In March 2019, one lot of Fullei Fresh’s organic bean sprouts that were shipped to Whole Foods stores in Florida and to Miami distributor Freedom Fresh were recalled over listeria concerns.
What you should do
If you have these currently recalled sprout bags, discard them or return them to the place of purchase for a refund.
More information? Call 305-758-3880 or contact dannielle@fulleifresh.com.
This story was originally published October 9, 2021 at 1:29 PM.
