991125 Minnesota Firm Recalls Sliced Luncheon MeatNovember 4, 1999Washington - A Minnesota company is recalling 1,200 pounds of luncheon meat distributed in 10 states out of concern that the meat might be undercooked and could cause illnesses, the government said. Jennie-O Foods, Inc., a unit of Hormel Foods Corp., discovered through routine checks that one of its ovens in its Montevideo, Minn., plant malfunctioned, company and Agriculture Department officials said. The Willmar, Minn.-based company decided to recall meat prepared in the oven out of concern the meat could be undercooked. Eating undercooked meat puts people at risk for becoming sick because the cooking process kills off potentially dangerous food-borne pathogens such as E.Coli or Listeria. No illnesses have been reported, the department said. The recall includes meat shipped to stores in Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Texas, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Delaware. Jennie-O is recalling “Extra Lean Smoked White Turkey” and “Extra Lean Turkey Ham.” Both products are sliced luncheon meat sold in 12-ounce packages, the department said. Jennie-O officials said they have already collected approximately 9,000 pounds of meat that were prepared in the oven but were still in the distribution network. The remaining 1,200 pounds could have made it to stores but it is possible that the meat is still in grocers' coolers and not in consumers' hands, Bob Wood, vice president of operations at Jennie-O, said. Wood urged consumers to check their refrigerators and to return any of the meat to stores. “If it's one package (in a household), it's one too many,” Wood said.
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