WASHINGTON, Sept. 27--Coborn's
Inc., doing business as DBC Foods, a St. Cloud, Minn., firm, is
voluntarily recalling approximately 80 pounds of chicken salad that may be
contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today.
The product subject to recall is "MIDWEST
PRIDE" brand "ALL WHITE CHICKEN SALAD SPREAD" in 8-pound plastic pails.
The pails have a "USE BY:" date of "03-OCT-00"on the label, and the labels
also bear "P-8914" inside the USDA seal of inspection.
The chicken salad was produced on Sept. 20
and distributed at the wholesale level in Minnesota.
"Because
of the potential for foodborne illness, we want consumers to be aware of
the recall," said FSIS Administrator Thomas Billy. "Consumers may
also wish to ask restaurants, delis, and cafeterias if purchased products
are subject to the recall."
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 Kim Kockler, Food Safety Dietician, Coborn's Inc., at (320)
203-6352. Media with questions may contact Sue Mackert, Coborn's Inc. at
(320) 253-8593.
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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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. |