Washington - Meat companies in Ontario and the Pacific Northwest recalled about 2000 pounds of hot dogs suspected of contamination with listeria, joining a half-dozen other firms that recently pulled products off the shelves because of the deadly bacteria, the U.S. Agriculture Department said.
The two recalls were not related to a nationwide outbreak of listeria caused by Sara Lee Corp. hot dogs that has claimed 16 lives, a USDA spokeswoman said.
Other U.S. companies have recalled milk and lunch meat during the past month because of listeria, but no deaths have been reported.
USDA officials meet next week with consumer groups and the meat industry to talk about new prevention methods including possible warning labels on certain ready-to-eat foods or stricter testing by the companies.
Listeria usually affects only the unborn, small children, the elderly and others with weak immune systems. While less common than other foodborne diseases, listeria ranks among the deadliest with 20% of those infected dying.
The latest recalls involved relatively small amounts of meat.
B.B. Meat & Sausage Co, based in Bellingham, Wash., voluntarily recalled 1,500 pounds of hot dogs after a random sampling by USDA meat inspectors found listeria in some product.
The products were sold in grocery stores to consumers in Washington, Oregon and Alaska, the USDA said.
The recalled hot dogs were packaged and sold under the brand names Hempler's Bun Buster Franks with a sell-by date of March 18; Hempler's Old Fashioned Weiners with an expiration of March 18; and Hempler's Cooked Bockwurst marked for sale by March 4.
Each package bears the USDA inspection mark “EST 6410.”
The other recall was ordered by Principal Marques, based in Entobicoke, Ontario. The company recalled about 456 pounds of cooked sausage that was sold in Milwaukee, Chicago and Miami.
The sausage was sold in one-pound packages under the label Regio Brand Mortadella. Each is marked with a sell-by date of March 22, and bear the Canadian inspection mark “EST 225.”
The Sara Lee recall in late December involved a record 35 million pounds of meat, according to USDA figures. Sara Lee has disputed the recall amount, saying it was closer to 15 million pounds.
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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