Highest risk U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Stutz Packing Company Shelled Walnuts recall: Potential Foodborne Illness - Listeria monocytogenes

Recall published 2+ years ago

Potential Foodborne Illness - Listeria monocytogenes

Stutz Packing Company Nuts & seeds — recalled nuts & seedsStutz Packing Company Nuts & seeds — recalled nuts & seeds (photo 2)
2 photos published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration with the recall notice.

The hazard: Listeria contamination

Because the organism here is Listeria, the recall is about where the food has been rather than how it looks today. Treat an affected pack as contaminated even if it is sealed and in date.

What the notice says: Stutz Packing Company of Indio, CA is voluntarily recalling it’s 1-pound packages of Shelled Walnuts, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes , an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

Why it matters: Listeria monocytogenes is unusual among foodborne bacteria because it keeps growing at refrigerator temperature. A contaminated pack does not become safer for sitting in the cold, and it will look, smell and taste completely normal.

Symptoms and when to call a doctor

Listeriosis is mild or silent in most healthy adults, but it is serious for pregnant people, newborns, adults over 65 and anyone whose immune system is suppressed. The CDC describes intestinal illness as diarrhoea and vomiting, and invasive illness as fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance or convulsions. In pregnancy it can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or infection in the newborn even when the parent feels only mildly unwell. Symptoms can start within a day or not appear for weeks, so tell any doctor you see that you ate a recalled product and give them the date.

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you feel unwell, a clinician who can see you is the only person able to judge your case.

Recall details

Published
July 19, 2024
Risk level
Highest risk
Issued by
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Brand
Stutz Packing Company
Product type
Nuts & seeds
Distribution
Arizona, Texas
UPC codes
715001009081
Reports of harm
To date, there have been no reports of illnesses related to this recall.

Products covered by this recall

Shelled Walnuts

What the company announced

Stutz Packing Company of Indio, CA is voluntarily recalling it’s 1-pound packages of Shelled Walnuts, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes , an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

These Walnuts were distributed to food bank warehouses in Texas and Arizona which further distribute to other distribution centers that can go to consumers, or smaller foods banks, school lunch programs, shelters, or prison food systems.

The recalled product is limited to 1-pound Shelled Walnuts, UPC Code 7 15001 00908 1 The product comes in a 1-pound, clear plastic packaging with a red outlined white box printed in the center of the bag. Product description “SHELLED WALNUTS”, lot code 24171 1 or 24172 1, printed in black on the front of the bag.

Lot code breakdown Code Example: 24171 1A or 24171 1E Digits 1 & 2: YY (Year 2024) Digits 3, 4, & 5: DDD (Julian 171=June 19) Digit 6: Shift (1 or 2) Alpha Position 7: Line Identification.

To date, there have been no reports of illnesses related to this recall.

The recall was the result of routine sampling which revealed that the finished products contained the bacteria. Stutz has ceased the production and distribution of this product as FDA and Stutz continue their investigation. No other sizes, varieties, or other packaging of Shelled Walnuts are included in this recall.

If a consumer has this product, they can discard the product or return it to the location in which the product was obtained. If consumers have any questions, they may contact Sasha Morales via email at [email protected] , or call 760.230.9547 Monday – Friday 8am – 5pm PST.

Reproduced from the company announcement posted on fda.gov. Links and contact forms in the original are not repeated here; the official notice below has them.

Check your product

The notice names 4 codes you can read straight off the package. Type the one printed on yours and the list below narrows to it.

UPC / barcode

Read the twelve digits under the barcode on the package.

  • 715001009081

Lot or batch code

Usually ink-stamped near the seam, the cap or the bottom of the pack.

  • 24171 1
  • 24172 1

Package size

Match the net weight or the piece count on the front of the pack.

  • 1 pound

Codes are lifted verbatim from the FDA — Company recall announcements notice. A code that is missing here may still be covered — the official notice is the complete list.

What to do about Listeria

Stutz Packing Company — Because the organism here is Listeria, the recall is about where the food has been rather than how it looks today. Treat an affected pack as contaminated even if it is sealed and in date.

  1. Do not eat it and do not open a sealed pack to inspect it — opening it only spreads the bacteria around your kitchen.
  2. Photograph the label, the lot code and the date mark before the pack leaves the house — that picture is what a refund claim runs on.
  3. Throw it out in a sealed bag, or return it to the store. Either is accepted; what matters is that nobody else eats it.
  4. Wash and then sanitise anything the food touched: the fridge shelf and drawer, chopping boards, knives, counters and your hands. Listeria colonises cold surfaces and can survive there after the food is gone.

Refunds, and what else you can claim

The purchase price is the floor, not the ceiling. Where a recall caused you a real cost, say so.

  • Claim the refund at the store first; it is the fastest route and needs the least paperwork.
  • If you bought several packs over time, list them. Firms routinely settle for more than a single unit when a customer asks.
  • Medical costs, lost earnings or a spoiled event are not handled at the service desk. Write to the company contact on this page instead, with dates and documents.
  • Keep copies of everything you send. If a recall caused harm, that file is what any later claim rests on.

Remedy named in the notice: If a consumer has this product, they can discard the product or return it to the location in which the product was obtained.

Company contact: Stutz Packing Company — Consumers: Sasha Morales, 760.230.9547, [email protected]

The official notice

This page summarises a notice published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The agency notice is the authoritative version — read it before you act, and treat it as the final word if anything here looks different.

Open the FDA — Company recall announcements record U.S. Food and Drug Administration recalls

Questions people ask about this recall

Why was Stutz Packing Company nuts & seeds recalled?

Potential Foodborne Illness - Listeria monocytogenes Stutz Packing Company of Indio, CA is voluntarily recalling it’s 1-pound packages of Shelled Walnuts, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes , an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

How do I know if I have the recalled product?

Match the codes printed on your package against the notice: UPC 715001009081; lot code 24171 1, 24172 1. If the code on your package is not on that list, your unit is outside the recall.

What should I do with it right now?

Do not eat it and do not open a sealed pack to inspect it — opening it only spreads the bacteria around your kitchen.

Can I get my money back?

The notice says: If a consumer has this product, they can discard the product or return it to the location in which the product was obtained.

Which states were affected?

The notice lists Arizona, Texas.

Related recalls