Many different brands of frozen cooked chicken are being recalled in Canada for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. These recalls were rolled out in two separate announcements. There is an outbreak of human illness that may be associated with Rosemount brand cooked diced chicken. We don’t know if any illnesses are associated with any of these specific products.
The first recall is for diced frozen cooked chicken sold under four brand names: Tip Top Poultry, Reuven International, Sysco, and AlimPlus. These products were imported into the country. You can see the product names, package sizes, UPC numbers, and pack dates at the CFIA web site. These products were distributed to hotels, restaurants, cafeterias, hospitals, and nursing homes in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Possibly Nationally, Quebec, and Saskatchewan.
The second recall includes more recalled products. New brands included in this recall are Flamingo, Rosemount Sales & Marketing, and Centennial Foodservice. The recalls are all for cooked diced frozen chicken. You can see the package sizes and UPC numbers, along with the pack date, at the CFIA web site.
There is zero tolerance for Listeria monocytogenes bacteria in ready-to-eat products. Freezing doesn’t kill this pathogen, and it can grow t refrigerator temperatures.
Symptoms of listeriosis, the illness caused by this pathogen, include severe headache, stiff neck, high fever, vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea. The elderly and those with weakened immune systems are most at risk for serious complications with this infection. Pregnant women may only have a mild illness, but listeriosis can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature labor, and infection in the newborn. If you believe you ate any of these products and have been sick, see your doctor.
