David Oppenheimer and Company I, LLC Voluntarily Recalls Organic Green Kiwifruit Due to Possible Health Risk

Summary

Company Announcement

August 8, 2023 / SEATTLE, WA – >David Oppenheimer and Company I LLC is voluntarily recalling from the market all one-pound clamshells of organic green kiwifruit described below because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Listeria monocytogenes is 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.

The recalled organic green kiwifruit is grown in New Zealand, exported to North America and repacked locally for sale in one-pound clear plastic clamshells bearing the Zespri brand and UPC code 8 18849 02009 3, containing fruit stickered with the GTIN bar code 9400 9552.

The organic green kiwifruit subject to the voluntary recall was shipped between June 14, 2023 and July 7, 2023, and sold in clamshells at retail locations in FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, MI, NC, NY, OH, PA, TN, TX, VA, and WI.  Zespri organic green kiwifruit sold in other states is NOT subject to this recall.

Zespri organic green kiwifruit shipped after August 7, 2023 in one-pound plastic clamshells with a WHITE STICKER that includes Work Order (WO) number and Packed on date is NOT affected by this recall. See example of white sticker below:

The recall was the result of a routine sampling by the Kentucky Department for Public Health on July 7, 2023. Since being notified on August 3, David Oppenheimer and Company I LLC has worked with Zespri to trace the product through the supply chain to two grower lots, and immediately ceased the distribution of organic green kiwifruit from the related grower lots as it continues its investigation in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 

No illnesses have been reported to date. No other David Oppenheimer and Company I, LLC products are part of this voluntary recall.

Consumers who still have any of these products are urged not to consume the product and to discard it immediately. Consumers with questions may contact David Oppenheimer and Company I, LLC (Oppy) at 1-866-698-2580, Monday-Friday, 9am-4:30pm PDT, or send an email to [email protected].

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About Oppy
Growing, marketing and distributing fresh produce from around the globe for 165 years, Vancouver, BC-based Oppy discovers and delivers the best of the world’s harvest. With roughly 50 million boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables grown on every continent moving through its supply chain annually, Oppy offers popular favorites from avocados and berries to apples and oranges year-round, alongside innovative seasonal specialties. Go to oppy.com to learn more.