A food service company in Indianapolis is part of a nationwide recall of chicken fettuccine alfredo products that may be contaminated with listeria.
The ready-to-eat packages were sold to Kroger and Walmart stores across the country, according to a Food Safety and Inspection Service news release issued Tuesday.
Texas-based food manufacturer FreshRealm announced the voluntary recall “out of an abundance of caution.” The products are being recalled by FreshRealm establishments in Indianapolis as well as San Clemente, California, and Montezuma, Georgia.
Here’s what we know.
Which products are being recalled?
The company is recalling the following items:
The recalled products were produced before June 17, bear the USDA mark of inspection on the product label and have establishment numbers “EST. P-50784,” “EST. P-47770” or “EST. P-47718” printed on the side of the packaging.
Why are the products being recalled?
The FSIS and public health partners are investigating an outbreak of listeria that has currently caused 17 illnesses across 13 states. As of June 17, there have been three reported deaths and one fetal loss associated with the outbreak.
The same outbreak strain was isolated from a chicken fettucine alfredo sample collected by the FSIS at a FreshRealm establishment in March.
The lot represented by this sample was destroyed and never sold, and the source of the contamination has not yet been identified, but purchase records and verbal descriptions from a handful of ill individuals matched FreshRealm’s chicken fettuccine alfredo products.
The investigation is ongoing.
Story continues after photo gallery.
Where were the recalled products distributed?
The recalled products were shipped to Kroger and Walmart retail locations nationwide.
What is listeria?
Consumption of food contaminated with listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, people with weakened immune systems and pregnant women and their newborns, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Listeriosis is primarily spread via foodborne transmission or in utero, though rare cutaneous infections have been reported among veterinarians and farmers following direct animal contact. It is estimated to be the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness and most commonly presents through invasive infections, like sepsis and meningitis.
“Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms,” according to the FSIS press release.
It can cause miscarriages, stillbirths or premature delivery in pregnant women or life-threatening infection of their newborns, and it can be fatal in older adults and those with weakened immune systems. Listeria should be treated with antibiotics. Those in high-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months of eating contaminated food should seek medical care.
What to do if you believe you have a recalled product
Customers who believe they purchased these products should refrain from eating them and instead dispose of them or return them to their place of purchase.
Consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact FreshRealm’s customer service at 888-244-1562. Those with food safety questions can call the toll-free U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or send a question via email to MPHotline@usda.gov.
All fresh and frozen meat products, including chicken fettuccine alfredo, should be cooked to a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperature should always be measured using a meat thermometer.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis food company part of nationwide recall after deadly listeria outbreak
Reporting by Hannah Hudnall and John Tufts, USA TODAY NETWORK / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
