Williams Farms tomatoes from Georgia North Carolina South Carolina get deadliest FDA recall classification
Federal health officials just escalated a tomato recall to their most dangerous warning level – one that carries a “reasonable probability of death.”
The FDA’s Class I designation means these contaminated vegetables pose an immediate threat to anyone who might consume them.
The Recall That Started Small
It began as a routine voluntary recall last month when Williams Farms Repack LLC pulled several sizes of vine ripe tomatoes from store shelves.
The company discovered potential salmonella contamination in their products – a concerning but not uncommon food safety issue.
What happened next, however, transformed this standard precautionary measure into something far more serious.
When Food Safety Gets Deadly
Salmonella isn’t just another stomach bug that keeps you home from work for a day or two.
This bacterial infection hospitalizes more than 26,000 Americans annually and kills approximately 400 people each year, according to CDC data.
The bacteria operates differently than most foodborne pathogens – it can actually survive stomach acid and burrow directly into intestinal cells.
The Contamination Chain
The recall trail leads back through multiple distributors, revealing how quickly contaminated food can spread through the supply chain.
Wilson Farms Repack initiated the recall after Southeast Tomato Distributors notified them of potential salmonella contamination from H&C Farms.
This domino effect shows how one contaminated source can impact consumers across multiple states within days.
Who’s Most at Risk
While healthy adults might recover from salmonella poisoning within days, certain groups face life-threatening complications.
Young children, elderly individuals, and people with compromised immune systems can develop severe illness or die from salmonella exposure.
The bacteria can enter the bloodstream and travel to other organs, causing systemic infections that require immediate medical intervention.
The Critical Details You Need
The Class I recall covers tomatoes shipped between April 23 and April 28 to Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
Affected products were sold in multiple packaging formats including 5×6 25lb, 6×6 25lb, Combo 25lb, 4×4 2layer, 4×5 2layer, 60ct 2layer, 60ct 18lb loose, XL 18lb Loose, and 3ct trays with UPC 0 33383 65504 8.
The specific lot numbers to watch for are R4467 and R4470.
Symptoms typically appear six hours to six days after consumption and include diarrhea, fever, and severe stomach cramps.
Fortunately, no illnesses have been reported yet, but the FDA urges immediate disposal of any affected tomatoes. Customers can contact Jason Breland at 843-866-7707 or 843-599-5154 for refunds or questions during business hours Monday through Friday.