(NaturalNews) A voluntary, nationwide recall of fruits sold at Costco, Trader Joe's, Kroger, Ralphs, Food 4 Less, Sam's Club and Wal-Mart was issued July 22. The recall includes fresh peaches, nectarines, plums and pluots distributed by Wawona Packing Co. in Central California between July 1 and July 12. Wegmans Food Markets, Inc., has also recalled various baked goods containing fresh fruit from Wawona Packing Co. Many of the grocers are offering a full refund for returned fruit.

The company warns customers who purchased fruits at the listed grocers between July 1 and July 20 to look for a sticker on the fruit that reads, "SWEET 2 EAT." According to the company spokesperson, Listeria was found on two peaches and one nectarine, and the facility has since been shut down and sanitized to prevent further contamination. The contamination was found during internal testing, and the facility has since tested negative for the bacteria. According to the company website, no illnesses have been reported in relation to the possible contamination.

For a complete list of recalled products, click here: FDA.gov.

Pregnant women, children and elderly should be especially cautious...

The bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, which causes listeriosis, is known to cause diarrhea, fever, stiffness and muscle aches. However, pregnant women, children, elderly and people with weakened immune systems should be particularly careful, as the bacteria can cause more severe and potentially fatal infections in this population. The company press release reported that the bacteria can cause miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women and urged consumers to take the recall seriously and discard potentially contaminated fruit.

Brent Smittcamp, President of Wawona Packing Co., said, "By taking the precautionary step of recalling product, we will minimize even the slightest risk to public health, and that is our priority."

Sources for this article include:

http://www.fda.gov

http://www.cnn.com

http://www.laweekly.com

http://www.fox17.com

http://www.fda.gov

http://science.naturalnews.com

About the author:
Bri Jackson is a Certified Personal Trainer and author of the Health & Wellness Blog at www.brittgotfit.com. She is a natural living enthusiast striving to make the natural living transition easier for others.