Hold the avocado as Henry Corp. recalls fruit

Escondido-based Henry Avocado Corp. has been forced to recall avocados distributed to six states due to possible listeria contamination.

“Henry Avocado is issuing this voluntary recall out of an abundance of caution due to positive test results on environmental samples taken during a routine government inspection at its California packing facility,” reads the company’s statement. There have been no reported illnesses associated with the recall at this time.

The recalled products included California-grown conventional and organic avocados. They were packed at Henry Avocado Corporation’s new Escondido facility and distributed to six states: Arizona, California, Florida, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Wisconsin.

All shipments from the packing facility are subject to the recall (Henry Avocado did not begin packing there until late January 2019). Avocados imported from Mexico and distributed by Henry Avocado are not subject to the recall and may continue to be sold and consumed.

Henry Avocado, a family-owned and managed company, started packing in this 50,000-square-foot facility at 2208 Harmony Grove Rd. in late January 2019 and every shipment is subject to the recall.

Henry Avocado Corporation is fully cooperating with federal and California health officials to facilitate an efficient and complete recall of these avocados.

“We are voluntarily recalling our products and taking every action possible to ensure the safety of consumers who eat our avocados,” says Phil Henry, President of Henry Avocado.

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.

Others at risk for listeria infection are the elderly and individuals with weakened immune systems. Symptoms of listeriosis include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion and loss of balance. Patients may experience diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms, as well as convulsions. It can be treated with antibiotics.

Henry Avocado is contacting all affected customers to confirm that the recalled products are immediately removed from store shelves. For conventional products purchased at retail, consumers can identify the recalled products by the “Bravocado” stickers.

Henry Avocado organic products do not carry the “Bravocado” label on the sticker. Instead those products are labeled “organic” and include “California” on the sticker. Retailers can identify Henry Avocado organic products by the bar code on the stickers.

How to check your avocado:

Scene of the packing recall ground zero/Henry Avocado

Consumers can identify the conventional products by the “Bravocado” sticker. The organic products do not have the “Bravocado” sticker but are labeled “organic” and include “California” on the sticker. The organic products also can be identified by a bar code on the sticker.

Customers who have purchased the recalled items are urged not to consume them but are encouraged to discard them or return them to the place of purchase for a refund.

There are no reported illnesses with the recall.

Consumers who have purchased any recalled avocados are urged not to consume them, but to discard them or return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with further questions may contact Henry Avocado at (760) 745-6632, Ext 132 or visit www.henryavocado.com/media

Headed by the new Escondido building, all seven of Henry’s Primus Labs-certified distribution centers meet or exceed the federal, state and industry Good Manufacturing Practices guidelines. Two are located in Escondido and there is one each in Phoenix; Milpitas, CA; San Antonio and Houston, TX; and Charlotte, NC. Together they total 100 ripening rooms with delivery by a modern fleet of refrigerated trucks.

A pioneer in the industry, Henry was founded in 1925 and was among the first to commit to growing and promoting the Hass variety of avocados. Subsequently, Henry developed the first forced-air ripening rooms in 1983. By adding import contacts and capabilities in Mexico, Chile and Peru, Henry Avocado became one of the early year-round suppliers of fresh avocados in 1990.