WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2001 – Larry’s
Sausage Co., a Fayetteville, N.C., establishment, is voluntarily recalling
approximately 3,300 pounds of frozen sausage patties that may be
contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of
Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today.
The products being recalled are 12-pound cases of "Larry’s Fully
Cooked Whole Hog Sausage Patties." Each case contains 96 2-ounce
patties. The cases bear the date code "121201" and an
establishment code "EST. 8305" located inside the USDA seal of
inspection.
The products were distributed to institutions in North Carolina.
"Because of the potential hazard of foodborne illness from
consumption of meat products contaminated with harmful bacteria such as Listeria
monocytogenes, diners may wish to ask if meals made with sausage
patties contain the recalled product," said Margaret O’K. Glavin,
acting FSIS administrator.
The problem was discovered through routine FSIS microbiological
sampling.
Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can
cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially fatal disease. Healthy
people rarely contract listeriosis. Listeriosis can cause high fever,
severe headache, neck stiffness, and nausea. Listeriosis can also cause
miscarriages and stillbirths, as well as serious and sometimes fatal
infections in those with weak immune systems – infants, the frail or
elderly, and persons with chronic disease, with HIV infection, or taking
chemotherapy.
FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption
of this product. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a
physician.
Media and consumers with questions about the recall may contact Sheila
Abe, president of Larry’s Sausage Co., at (910) 483-5148.
Consumers with food safety questions can phone the toll-free USDA Meat
and Poultry Hotline at 1-800-535-4555. The hotline can be reached from 10
a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday, and recorded food
safety messages are available 24 hours a day.
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