New York - Oscar Mayer Foods Corporation, based in Madison, Wisconsin, announced that it was voluntarily recalling 28,313 pounds of deli meat due to possible contamination with Listeria moncytogenes bacteria.
The recalled products include the 9 oz. Oscar Mayer Club Sandwich Variety- Pak sliced luncheon meats and the 10 oz. Oscar Mayer All American Variety-Pak sliced luncheon meats, both marked with the JAN 12 date in the upper left corner on the back of the package. The packages also bear the codes EST 537A or P-1449 in the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspection mark.
According to a company press release, the products were distributed nationally but should no longer be on store shelves, since they have passed their shelf life.
The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service tested the product after a consumer in Kansas City, Missouri, became ill.
Thomas J. Billy, administrator of USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service, said, "Because of the potential of foodborne illness, we urge consumers who have purchased the suspect product not to eat it and to return it to the point of purchase.”
In addition to distribution within the US, the products were also sold in Singapore, Bermuda, Aruba, St. Maarten, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.
The USDA noted that there is no evidence linking this recall to the recent nationwide outbreak of listeriosis that was traced to hot dogs and possibly deli meats produced by Bil Mar Foods plant in Zeeland, Michigan. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that between August 1998 and January 1999, there were 60 illnesses in 12 states due to that outbreak, and a total of 12 deaths - nine adults and three miscarriages.
Listeriosis, a disease caused by Listeria bacteria, can be fatal in individuals with compromised immune systems and may cause miscarriage or stillbirth. Symptoms of the illness include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, and nausea. According to CDC figures, 1,850 people in the US become seriously ill with listeriosis each year, and 425 die.
To reduce the risk of the infection, the CDC recommends:
- washing raw vegetables thoroughly before eating.
- cooking meats and poultry thoroughly.
- keeping uncooked meats separate from other foods.
- avoiding unpasteurized milk and products that contain it.
- washing hands, knives, and cutting boards after handling uncooked foods.
Meat Industry Insights News Service
P.O. Box 553
Northport, NY 11768
Phone: 631-757-4010
Fax: 631-757-4060
E-mail: sflanagan@sprintmail.com
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