000252 Gold Kist Chicken Nuggets are Listeria FreeJanuary 29, 2000Atlanta - Laboratory test results released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) confirmed that there was no listeria monocytogenes contamination of chicken nuggets produced by Gold Kist Inc. for the school lunch program. Gold Kist notified food distributors and school food service directors in Ohio, Texas, Colorado, Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania on February 18 that it was holding distribution of nine lots of chicken nuggets and patties after tests by the Ohio Department of Agriculture indicated the possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes on one of 96 samples. On February 23, the Ohio Department announced that no bacteria were found on a retest of the first sample, however another sample in the second test indicated possible contamination. At that point, Gold Kist announced that, as a precaution, it was voluntarily recalling 114,000 pounds of chicken nuggets and patties, which represented the full day's production including the Ohio product. Samples of products from the same lot were sent from the Ohio warehouse to the USDA FSIS Field Service Laboratory at Athens, GA for analysis. “These FSIS test results should reassure school food directors and other school officials, as well as parents and students, that the Gold Kist chicken products they have served and enjoyed for more than 15 years are wholesome and safe to eat,” said John Bekkers, Gold Kist president and chief operating officer. “We regret that the testing processes and the voluntary recall of these products may disrupt some school menu plans. We are making every effort to help USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service, distributors and school food personnel recover from this.”
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