WASHINGTON, 2017-May-11 — /EPR Retail News/ — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert due to concerns that frozen ready-to-eat fried chicken and pork sausage products produced by Pinnacle Foods, Inc., a Jackson, Tenn. establishment, may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Pinnacle Foods, Inc. has already recalled these products in its recall of its Food and Drug Administration-regulated products. FSIS is issuing this Public Health Alert out of the utmost of caution to ensure consumers are aware that these products, that bear the FSIS mark of inspection detailed below, are subject to the Pinnacle Foods, Inc. recall.
The frozen ready-to-eat fried chicken and pork sausage items were produced from Feb. 4, 2016 to May 4, 2017. The following products are subject to the public health alert:
- 5.5-oz. individual frozen microwavable dinners containing French toast and a pork sausage patty with “Aunt Jemima FRENCH TOAST AND SAUSAGE” printed on the label and bearing UPC code 051000063915.
- 16-oz. individual frozen microwavable dinners containing a waffle and a fried chicken piece with “HUNGRY-MAN Selects BONELESS FRIED CHICKEN & WAFFLES” printed on the label and bearing UPC code 658276202903.
The products bear establishment number “EST. 9132” or “P-138” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations nationwide.
The problem was discovered when the company notified FSIS that results from environmental samples received May 1, 2017 were preliminary for the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. There have been no confirmed reports of illnesses due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a health care provider.
Consumption of 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. Less commonly, persons outside these risk groups are affected.
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 can occur in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics. 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.
Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. FSIS will conduct recall effectiveness checks for these FSIS-regulated products identified in the company’s recall notice posted by FDA.
Consumers with food safety questions can “Ask Karen,” the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov or via smartphone at m.askkaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day. The online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/reportproblem.
Consumers and media with questions about the recall can contact:
Consumer Contact:
Pinnacle Foods Consumer Care
1-888-299-7646
Hours: Daily between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time
Media Contact:
Sarah Tremallo
908-249-2327
mediainquiries@pinnaclefoods.com
Source: USDA