WASHINGTON, September 10, 2003 – Victor’s Market Co. Inc, a Hawthorne,
Calif., firm, is voluntarily recalling approximately 550 pounds of
ready-to-eat luncheon meat that may be contaminated with Listeria
monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and
Inspection Service announced today.
The products subject to recall are 10 lb.
packages of Victor’s Market Co.:
- "DICED OVEN ROASTED TURKEY BREAST"
- "DICED CHOPPED HAM, WATER ADDED"
- "BEEF PASTRAMI, CARAMEL COLOR ADDED, READY TO EAT"
- "READY TO EAT ROAST BEEF"
They were produced on September 3 and 4. The
product boxes contain the company name, the date code "090303" or "090403"
and the establishment number "EST. 06087M" or "EST. 06087P" inside the USDA
mark of inspection.
The products were distributed to institutions in
the Los Angeles metropolitan area. FSIS has received no reports of illnesses
associated with consumption of the products. Anyone concerned about an
illness should contact a physician.
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. 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.
Media and consumers with questions about the
recall may contact Bruce Penso, company president, at (310) 676-0127.
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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