Walmart Broccoli Recall: What You Need to Know

“Eat your broccoli!”

It’s the rallying cry of parents everywhere who are eager to feed their children nutritious green vegetables. 

But wait. 🛑

A recent broccoli recall warns that there could be a deadly bacteria lurking in the otherwise healthy florets. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a recall on Braga Fresh’s washed and ready-to-eat broccoli on December 31, 2024; the agency cited the possibility of Listeria monocytogenes contamination. 

However, nearly a month later, on January 27, 2025, the FDA upgraded to a Class I recall—the highest risk level—because of the potential for death from consuming the product.

The recall is limited to a single lot of 12-ounce bags of washed, ready-to-eat Marketside Broccoli Florets. The lot code is BFFG327A6.

Although it is a single lot, the broccoli was sold in Walmart stores in 20 states:

Why is Walmart broccoli being recalled?

It tested positive for the bacteria that causes listeriosis. Listeria poisoning, or listeriosis, can make someone seriously ill and could even be life-threatening. 

Symptoms of listeriosis include:

In pregnant women, symptoms can include flu-like symptoms, miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, and infection in the newborn. 

While listeriosis is typically treated with antibiotics, it can be very serious or life-threatening for some people. It’s most dangerous to the elderly, infants and young children, and individuals with a compromised immune system.

There are lots of listeria recalls. Why is this one more dangerous?

This is a Class I recall for a couple of reasons:

• Testing revealed widespread contamination; 
• The product was distributed in multiple states; and 
• Vulnerable populations can become seriously ill, including hospitalization or death.

Although the affected packages have been removed from store shelves, broccoli that consumers already purchased could still be affected. This is a product that is often purchased and frozen at home for consuming at a later date, so purchasers might not realize they have contaminated broccoli in their freezers. 

Some bacteria are no longer dangerous when frozen, but listeria survives and grows in cold refrigerator or freezer temperatures.

What should you do about the broccoli recall?

1. Check your freezer. The affected broccoli has a “best if used by” date of December 10, 2024. The UPC is 6 81131 37727 5.
2. Don’t eat it! Listeria has no visible sign or odor. Even if it looks fine, don’t take any chances.
3. Discard. Throw it out or return it to Walmart for a refund.
4. Watch for symptoms. If you develop any symptoms that might indicate listeria, and if you might have eaten any of the recalled lot, seek medical advice from your doctor, an urgent care provider, or an emergency department.