The FDA has raised the recall of Walmart’s Marketside Broccoli Florets to its highest threat level, Class I, due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. Consumers are being urged to discard the affected broccoli products immediately.

The recall, which began on December 27, involves 12oz bags of ready-to-eat Marketside Broccoli Florets sold at Walmart stores. The FDA officially announced the recall on December 31 and later upgraded it to a Class I recall.

Class I recalls are the most severe, meaning there is a significant risk that consuming the product could cause serious health problems or death.

The affected product is identified by the UPC code “6 81131 32884 5” on the back of the bag, with a best-by date of December 10, 2024, and the lot code “BFFG327A6.” These bags are no longer available in stores, but consumers who may have frozen them are advised to dispose of them.

Braga Fresh, the supplier, confirmed that only the specific Marketside Broccoli Florets are affected, and no other products are involved in this recall.

The recall was triggered after Texas Health & Human Services found Listeria monocytogenes in one of several product samples taken from a Texas Walmart store.

Affected Walmart locations are spread across several states, including Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

While no illnesses have been reported, Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that is especially dangerous for pregnant women, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. Healthy individuals may experience symptoms like fever, nausea, headache, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, but the infection can be life-threatening for vulnerable groups, causing miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women.

Walmart has emphasized that customer health and safety remain its top priority. They are advising anyone with the affected broccoli in their freezers to throw it out. The company also confirmed that there have been no reports of illnesses linked to the recalled product and that they are working with the supplier to investigate.