By Angela Chen

General Mills Inc. has voluntarily recalled some Cascadian Farm Cut Green Beans because one package tested positive for the bacteria listeria.

No illnesses have been reported in connection with the product.

The green beans in question are 10-ounce packages produced over two days in March 2014. The "better used by" dates are 10APR2016 and 11APR2016.

General Mills is just the latest company grappling with listeria contamination problems. Blue Bell Creameries LP in April pulled its products from stores after identifying listeria in samples and resumed selling its ice cream in August. And Sabra in April recalled 30,000 cases of hummus over listeria concerns.

Food-safety experts say listeria is a particularly tricky and virulent pathogen that blossoms in refrigerated environments, and has previously prompted food companies to shutter plants entirely since it is difficult to destroy even through exhaustive plant cleanings.

Listeria typically doesn't cause significant illnesses in healthy people but poses a high risk for pregnant women, newborns, older adults and people with weakened immune systems.

According to the CDC's website, there were four listeria outbreaks in 2014, compared with one in each year from 2011 to 2013. Last year, a federal judge sentenced two Colorado brothers whose farm's cantaloupes were linked to a 2011 listeria outbreak that caused the deaths of 33 people and sickened 147 others in 28 states. The brothers received five years' probation, including six months of home detention.

Write to Angela Chen at angela.chen@wsj.com

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

August 26, 2015 15:39 ET (19:39 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2015 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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