The USDA just announced that Garden Fresh Foods of Wisconsin is recalling about 13,600 pounds of meat and poultry salads. They contain diced onions produced by Gills Onions and may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
The salads include chicken salad spreads, pasta and chicken salads, premium chicken salad, reduced fat chjicken salad, and ham salad. Brand names include Garden Fresh, Market Pantry, and Weis. You can see all of the recalled products, along with code and lot numbers, at the USDA web site. All of the product labels are also available in PDF form.
This is the twelfth derivative recall linked to the July 18, 2012 Gills Onions recall. All products have the establishment number “P-17256” or “Est. 17256” inside the USDA mark of inspection. The lot number is indicative of the expiration date. The products were distributed to retailers and institutions nationwide.
The problem with Listeria bacteria is that symptoms of an infection may not appear until 70 days after exposure. Someone could eat one of these products in July and not become ill until September. That makes it very difficult to link the illness to the product that caused it. If you have eaten any products made with onions, pay attention to your health.
If you experience symptoms of Listeria, including headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, or other flu-like symptoms, see your doctor. For questions about the recalled products, contact Richard Riebel, Counsel for Garden Fresh Foods, at 414-278-8500.
