Firms Recall Chicken Over Bacteria Scare
US - A New York company recalled nearly 7,000 pounds of chicken and meat products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced yesterday.The Food and Safety Service also announced that another three companies collectively recalled 16,332 pounds of a chicken product because their foods could also be contaminated.
The problem was discovered through FSIS microbiological sampling. FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of this product.
Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially fatal disease. Healthy people rarely contract listeriosis. However, listeriosis can cause high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea. Listeriosis can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths, as well as serious and sometimes fatal infections in those with weakened immune systems, such as infants, the elderly and persons with HIV infection or undergoing chemotherapy.