Possible Listeria Contamination Forces Recall of 230,000 Pounds of Ham, Pepperoni Products
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- A Michigan-based meat producer is recalling more than 230,000 pounds of fully cooked ham and pepperoni products distributed nationwide because they may be contaminated with listeria.
Alexander & Hornung said it was cooperating with the US Department of Agriculture to voluntarily recall the processed meat products including boneless cooked ham and spiral sliced honey ham under its own brand and a number of other private labels.
The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said the problem was discovered when the company notified FSIS that product sampling reported positive Listeria monocytogenes results. The company said while there have been no illnesses or complaints associated with the products and no conclusive evidence of contamination at the time of shipment, the voluntary recall is being initiated out of an abundance of caution.
The products subject to the recall have establishment number "EST. M10125" inside the USDA mark of inspection on the labels. A full listing of the products can be found here. Photos of the labels can be found here.
FSIS is concerned that some products may be in consumers' refrigerators or freezers and urged consumers to throw away the products return them to the place of purchase.
No other products Alexander & Hornung are being recalled. Consumers with questions should call the company at 1-866-866-3703. Customer service representatives will be available Monday through Friday 6am – 3pm PST.
Food contaminated with L. monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns.
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. In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn. In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics.
Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or live chat via Ask USDA from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Consumers can also browse food safety messages at Ask USDA or send a question via email to MPHotline@usda.gov.
For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/.