The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that Randalls, Tom Thumb, and Albertsons stores have recalled several of their “Ready. Chef. Go!” Seafood Meal Bags following Mann Packing’s enormous recall of its vegetable products from stores throughout the United States and Canada. These vegetables, incorporated into the processed seafood meals, were recalled after the Canadian Inspection Agency detected the presence of Listeria monocytogenes bacteria in a single random sample.
Listeria is one of the most severe forms of food poisoning, and is particularly dangerous to pregnant women and their unborn infants as it can cause miscarriage, stillbirths, and birth defects such as hydrocephalus. In adults (especially the elderly or people with underlying medical conditions), it can result in life-threatening complications including meningitis, pneumonia, and encephalitis. Thus, it only takes one positive test of a food product to prompt nationwide recalls and “trickle down” secondary recalls like these by the Randalls, Tom Thumb, and Albertsons stores.
This latest secondary recall only applies to Randalls, Tom Thumb, and Albertsons stores in the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas. The recalled “Ready. Chef. Go!” seafood meal bags are stamped with “Sell Thru” dates up to and including 10-22-17; they were packaged in clear cooking bags and sold from refrigerated cases. Consumers should be aware that refrigeration or freezing does not kill Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. For safety’s sake, all of these recalled products need to be returned to the store for a refund or thrown away, in double-sealed plastic bags, immediately.
The items recalled are as follows; all carry the “Ready. Chef. Go!” brand label: Flounder Fillet (UPC: 231495), Halibut Fillet (UPC: 231694), Atlantic Salmon Fillet (UPC: 231727), Haddock Fillet (UPC: 231864), Sea Bass Fillets (UPC: 232083), Mahi Mahi Fillet (UPC: 232426), Ocean Perch Fillet (UPC: 233009), Organic Salmon Fillet (UPC: 233510), 16/20 ct. Shrimp (UPC: 234361), 26/30 ct. Shrimp (UPC: 234362), 41/50 ct. Shrimp (UPC: 234363), 21/25 ct. Gulf Shrimp (UPC: 23464), Snapper Fillet (UPC: 234429), Steelhead Trout Fillet (UPC: 234702), Swordfish Loins (UPC: 234745), Tilapia Fillet (UPC: 234779), Trout Fillet (UPC: 234929), Tuna Loins (UPC: 235116), Kingclip Fillet (UPC: 239670), and Catfish Fillet (UPC: 239970). One addition has subsequently been made to this list: Ready.Chef. Go! Cod Fillet seafood meal bag (UPC: 231201, with the “Sell Thru” date of up to and including 10-22-17).
