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Some Trader Joe's edamame products recalled over listeria concerns

The Food and Drug Administration announced Wednesday that there were concerns the soybeans had been contaminated by an organism that can cause listeria.
The affected products were sold in Arizona, Southern California, Southern Nevada, and Utah.
The affected products were sold in Arizona, Southern California, Southern Nevada, and Utah. FDA

Certain packages of Trader Joe's Lightly Salted Edamame, manufactured by Tesoros Trading Co., are being recalled due to concerns of potential contamination by Listeria monocytogenes.

The recall, announced on Dec. 16 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), only affects products sold in Arizona, Southern California, Southern Nevada, and Utah. Tesoros Trading Co. is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

According to the FDA press release, all affected products have been removed from the shelves and destroyed. Any customers who have purchased 16 ounce bags of lightly salted edamame should check the packaging code, which can be found on the back bottom portion of the package.

Any items with the lot numbers 22LA102 M, 22LA102 N, or 22LA102 P should be returned to the place of purchase for a full refund. All of the affected precuts were sold at Trader Joe's stores. Consumers with questions may contact the company at (702) 706-5263 from Monday to Friday, between 8:00 am and 4:30pm PST.

The press release did not share any details about what led to concerns of potential contamination, but said that the FDA and the company "continue to investigate the source of the problem." The press release did not say if there were any cases of illness associated with the recall.

Listeria monocytogenes is a bacteria that can cause listeria infection. While healthy individuals will usually only suffer short-term symptoms, including high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, other groups are at higher risk. Young children, frail or elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems can be at risk of serious or even fatal infections, according to the FDA, and the infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women.

The infection is fairly common: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 1,600 people contract listeria each year, though cases with less severe symptoms may not be diagnosed. About 260 people die from the illness annually, but in most cases, the illness can be treated with antibiotics.