Kentucky Firm Recalls Ham For Possible Listeria Contamination

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2000--Harper's Country Ham, Inc., a Clinton, Ky., firm, is voluntarily recalling approximately 10,400 pounds of ham that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today.

The ham was produced on December 11 and was distributed to retail establishments, restaurants, and food services in Kentucky and Tennessee and distributed via mail order.

All products being recalled bear the establishment number "EST. 2040" inside the USDA seal of inspection and bear a production date code of "0346" on the label.

Retail and mail order products subject to recall include:

• "HARPER'S Hamtastic Center Slices Country Ham" in 14 oz. packages;

• "HARPER'S Hamtastic Family Pack Sliced Country Ham" in 24 oz. packages;

• "HARPER'S Hamtastic Sliced Value Pack Country Ham" in 20 oz. packages;

• "HARPER'S COUNTRY HAMS HAMTASTIC COUNTRY HAM BONELESS SLICES" in 12 oz. packages;

• "WERTZ'S COUNTRY STORE Country Ham Center Slices" in 28 oz. packages;

• "WERTZ'S COUNTRY STORE Country Ham Center Slices" in 14 oz. packages; and

• "Loveless Slow Cured Hickory Smoked COUNTRY HAM" in 16 oz. packages.

Products for restaurants and food services subject to recall include:

• "HARPER'S Hamtastic BUFFET COUNTRY HAM" in 10 lb. boxes;

• "HARPER'S Hamtastic NO. 2 CENTERS COUNTRY HAM" in boxes of various weights;

• Boxes of "HARPER'S NO. 1 SLICES COUNTRY HAM" in boxes of various weights;

• "HARPER'S DINNER CUT COUNTRY HAM" in boxes of various weights; and

• "HARPER'S BISCUIT SLICES COUNTRY HAM" in boxes of various weights.

"Because of the potential for foodborne illness, we want consumers to be aware of the recall," said Thomas J. Billy, FSIS administrator. "We urge them to check their refrigerators. If they find the recalled products, consumers should not eat them, but return them to the point of purchase. Purchasers or consumers of ham may also wish to ask restaurants or places where they consume ham if the product or meal contains the recalled ham."

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 illness associated with consumption of this product. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a physician.

Consumers with questions about the recall may contact Mike Morgan, Harper's Country Ham sales manager, at (270) 653-2081. Media with questions about the recall may contact Brian Harper, Harper's Country Ham vice president, at (270) 653-2081.

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.

#

NOTE: Access news releases and other information at the FSIS Web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov

LISTERIA PRECAUTIONS

People at risk for listeriosis and their family members or individuals preparing food for them should:

Reheat until steaming hot the following types of ready-to-eat foods: hot dogs, luncheon meats, cold cuts, fermented and dry sausage, and other deli-style meat and poultry products. Thoroughly reheating food can help kill any bacteria that might be present. If you cannot reheat these foods, do not eat them.

Wash hands with hot, soapy water after handling these types of ready-to-eat foods. (Wash for at least 20 seconds.) Also wash cutting boards, dishes, and utensils. Thorough washing helps eliminate any bacteria that might get on your hands or other surfaces from food before it is reheated.

Do not eat soft cheeses such as feta, Brie, Camembert, blue-veined or Mexican-style cheese. You can eat hard cheeses, processed cheeses, cream cheese, cottage cheese, and yogurt.

Do not drink raw, unpasteurized milk or eat foods made from it, such as unpasteurized cheese.

Observe all expiration dates for perishable items that are precooked or ready-to-eat.