Produce from Michigan farm sold at some stores may be contaminated with human waste

Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press
·3 min read
2

Check your produce drawer for Kuntry Gardens produce or products containing its produce products. State agriculture officials are urging consumers to dispose of them because of a possible health risk.

A consumer advisory issued Monday by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) says the products may be contaminated with "raw, untreated human waste."

The contaminated products were discovered during a routine produce safety inspection. Staff of MDARD discovered that Kuntry Gardens in Homer violated Michigan Food Law by using "raw, untreated human waste on the fields where produce was grown for sale to local grocery stores and direct sale," according to the advisory.

Using raw, untreated, human waste in growing crops intended for human food is a violation of the Michigan food law, as well as other state and federal laws.

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Busch's Fresh Food Market issued a recall on the Kuntry Gardens produce it sells. A full refund will be issued to Busch's customers for any of the Kuntry Gardens purchased since Aug. 1, according to a Busch's news release.

The produce sold at Busch's Fresh Food Markets is listed as organic with specific product codes.

Products include:

  • Green beans

  • Greens cabbage

  • Cucumbers

  • Eggplant

  • Onions: red and yellow

  • Peppers: green, red sweet peppers, poblano and lunchbox peppers

  • Squash: zucchini, acorn, butternut, spaghetti and yellow squash

  • Sweet potatoes

  • Tomatoes: heirloom, Roma, Sungold and vine.

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At Busch's Markets, Kuntry Gardens products are less than one percent of its product sales, according to a Busch's news release. Busch's says that customers should check for the product and that they are communicating with customers who bought products. Customers should look for "Kuntry Gardens" on their receipts or check their MyWay account.

So far, according to MDARD, no illnesses have been reported.

"If not treated professionally, human waste and other body fluids can spread dangerous infectious diseases such as hepatitis A, Clostridium difficile, E coli, rotavirus and norovirus," the advisory said.

Seek medical advice if you are experiencing symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice (yellowing of the skin,) fever, abdominal cramps, loss of appetite, weakness, headache or other symptoms of foodborne illness.

The products are known to have been sold at the stores listed below, according to the advisory. However, they could have been distributed or sold at other stores.

  • Kuntry Gardens, 29910 R Dr. South, Homer

  • Busch’s Fresh Food Market stores in Ann Arbor, Brighton, Canton, Clinton, Dexter, Farmington Hills, Livonia, Novi, Pinckney, Plymouth-Northville, Rochester Hills, Saline, South Lyon, Tecumseh and West Bloomfield

  • Simply Fresh Market, 7300 Grand River Road, Brighton

  • White Lotus, 7217 W. Liberty Road, Ann Arbor

  • Argus Farm Stop, 325 W. Liberty Street, Ann Arbor

  • Agricole Farm Stop, 118 N. Main Street, Chelsea

  • Pure Pastures, 1192 Ann Arbor Road, Plymouth

  • Ypsi Coop, 312 North River Street, Ypsilanti

  • Greener Pastures Market, 21202 Pontiac Trail, South Lyon

  • Holiday Market, 520 S. Lilley Road, Canton

  • Cherry Capitol, Traverse City

The product still on the farm is under seizure and MDARD is "working with the farm to oversee dispotition and corrective action."

Consumers can contact the farm or place where the product was purchased for information on disposing of the product and a refund. For additional questions, consumers can call MDARD at 800-292-3939 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Contact Detroit Free Press food writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Produce sold at some metro Detroit stores may be contaminated