A finding of Listeria contamination in potatoes has prompted a company in Burnsville, Minn., to recall more than 31 tons of meat and poultry products sold as breakfast meals, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The agency said some of the potentially tainted food was sold to airlines while other products were shipped from mid-July through September 25 to distributors and various retail outlets.
Listeria monocytogenes, a rare but powerful pathogen that has caused deadly outbreaks of food poisoning in the U.S. and other countries, was discovered by sampling at Buddy’s Kitchen, a suburban Minneapolis firm that makes custom frozen sandwiches, breakfast sandwiches, omelets and breakfast entrees. Buddy’s Kitchen serves the airline industry, convenience stores, vending machines, specialty restaurants and senior living centers, according to its website. It also “co-packs” its products under private label brands.
FSIS said the recall applies to an assortment of meat and poultry breakfast products including omelet, potato and sausage trays, breakfast burritos and “scramble bowls” with sausage. You can see the complete Buddy’s Kitchen recall notice with specific label and production code information at the USDA web site. Case labels or packaging may bear the establishment number “EST. 4226” or “P-4226” inside the USDA mark of inspection.
FSIS said there have been no illnesses reported to the agency or company. According to the regulator’s press release, Listeria bacteria was found in roasted red skin potatoes that had been provided by an independent supplier. “The firm is recalling all products that used the confirmed positive potatoes,” FSIS reported.
If you ate any of these products, monitor yourself for the symptoms of listeriosis for the next 70 days. Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns. People outside these risk groups also can fall ill with listeriosis, but less commonly. Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract and can cause paralysis, strokes and other serious complications.
In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn. The disease, which can be treated with antibiotics, can lead to infertility in pregnant women. Persons in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell the health care provider about eating the contaminated food.
FSIS and the company are concerned that some product may be frozen and in consumers’ freezers. This is a Class I recall, meaning it presents a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death, the FSIS said.
