Potential Listeria Contamination in Planters Nuts: Hormel Foods Issues Recall and Warns of Symptoms and Risks

In a voluntary recall, Hormel Foods has issued a warning about potential listeria contamination in certain Planters nuts distributed in five states. The affected products include 4-ounce packages of honey roasted peanuts and 8.75-ounce cans of deluxe lightly salted mixed nuts. These items were sold at Publix supermarkets in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina as well as Dollar Tree stores in Georgia and South Carolina.

The specific products being recalled have “best if used by” dates of April 11, 2025 for the honey roasted peanuts and April 5, 2026 for the mixed nuts. All of the potentially contaminated items were produced at one of Hormel’s facilities in April. While there have been no reported illnesses associated with these products, listeria can be severe, especially for young children, elderly individuals, those with weakened immune systems and pregnant women are at risk of complications such as miscarriage and stillbirth.

Symptoms of listeria infection include fever, chills, muscle aches, nausea and diarrhea. Prompt antibiotic treatment can help mitigate the effects of the infection but most healthy individuals may not experience serious illness from listeria but it can be life-threatening for vulnerable populations. Each year roughly 1600 people become infected with listeria resulting in about 260 deaths according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Hormel advises customers who have purchased the recalled products to either dispose of them or return them to the store for an exchange. It is essential to take precautions to prevent the spread of listeria and protect those who may be at higher risk of complications from infection. This recall serves as a reminder that it is always important to check expiration dates on food products before consuming them and to discard any items that may be contaminated with bacteria such as listeria.