Duda Farm Fresh Foods, Inc., on Thursday issued a precautionary advisory for its Marketside Celery Sticks sold in select Walmart stores across the U.S., due to possible listeria contamination.
Newsweek reached out to Duda via email and Walmart via online form Thursday night.
Why It Matters
Numerous recalls have been initiated this year due to potentially damaged products, foodborne illness, undeclared food allergens or the potential for bacteria.
Millions of Americans experience food sensitivities or food allergies every year. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the nine “major” food allergens in the United States are eggs, milk, fish, wheat, soybeans, Crustacean shellfish, sesame, tree nuts and peanuts.
Listeria could cause serious and even fatal infections in those with weakened immune systems, older people, frail or young children, the FDA warns.
What To Know
The celery sticks, sold in some Walmarts across numerous states, have passed their best by use date of March 23, 2025, but the FDA warns people may have placed them in their freezers.
The product has a UPC number of 6 81131 16151 0 and lot code number of P047650. The celery is packaged in 4-count, 4 in/1.6-ounce bundle packs, the FDA says, adding that the product is no longer being sold.
The agency adds that 1,587 cases of the celery were impacted by the advisory. As of Thursday, there had been no reported illnesses related to the advisory.
The voluntary advisory does not impact any other products from Marketside or Duda Farm Fresh Foods, Inc., the FDA says.
Below is a map of where the celery sticks were distributed to select Walmart stores:
What People Are Saying
The FDA alert, in part: “This advisory is being initiated due to the possibility of contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The potential for contamination was discovered during random sampling by the Georgia Department of Agriculture from a Georgia store location where one of multiple samples yielded a positive test result.”
The FDA, on its website in January: “Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) is a type of disease-causing bacteria that can be found in many places, including soil, water, sewage, rotting vegetation, and animals. It can survive and grow even under refrigeration. L. monocytogenes can thrive in unsanitary food production conditions, leading to contamination of the food. When people eat food contaminated with L. monocytogenes, they may develop a disease called listeriosis.”
What Happens Next
Those who have purchased this product are urged to discard the celery and not consume it.
Customers interested in contacting the company may do so at foodsafety@duda.com.
