WASHINGTON, Jan. 11, 2004 – American Kitchen Delights Inc., a Harvey, Ill.,
firm, is voluntarily recalling approximately 5,190 pounds of frozen beef
brisket dinners that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes,
the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service
(FSIS) announced today.
The products subject to recall are cases of
frozen "BEEF BRISKET WITH POTATOES, SPINACH AND GRAVY UNITED CODE # 9229."
Each case contains 45 – 8.7 oz. entrees and has a
net weight of 24.7 pounds. Each case also bears the establishment code
"17439" inside the USDA seal of inspection.
The beef brisket dinners were produced on Dec.
31, 2003 and were shipped to a wholesale distributor in Arizona. Because of
quick Agency action, all of the cases are believed to be under control and
no product has reached consumers.
The problem was discovered through routine FSIS
microbiological testing.
Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria
monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially fatal
disease. Healthy people rarely contract listeriosis. However, 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, HIV infection or in
chemotherapy.
Consumers with questions about the recall may
contact company Quality Assurance Manager Eloy Diaz at 708-210-3200. Media
with questions about the recall may contact company President Shahnawaz
Hasan at 847-951-1139.
Consumers with food safety questions can phone
the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline. The hotline
is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from 10 a.m. to 4
p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are
available 24 hours a day.
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