Recall on Oscar Mayer Chicken Breast Strips-poss Listeria Contamination
 

South Carolina Firm Recalls Chicken Breast Strips For Possible Listeria Contamination

Recall ReleaseCLASS I* RECALLFSIS-RC-012-2007HEALTH RISK: HIGH
Congressional and Public Affairs
(202) 720-9113
Steven Cohen

Carolina Culinary Foods, a West Columbia, S.C., firm, is voluntarily recalling approximately 52,650 pounds of fully cooked chicken breast strips that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.


The following product was manufactured for Oscar Mayer and is subject to recall:

• 6-ounce packages of "OSCAR MAYER/LOUIS RICH CHICKEN BREAST STRIPS WITH RIB MEAT, GRILLED, FULLY COOKED - READY TO EAT." The front of each package bears the establishment number "P-19676" inside the USDA mark of inspection. On the back of each package appears a "Use by" date of "19 Apr 2007." The code "19 APR 2007" appears on each case.

The chicken breast strips were produced on Jan. 9, 2007 and distributed to retail establishments nationwide.

The problem was discovered through microbiological testing completed by the Georgia Department of Agriculture. 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.

Media with questions about the recall should call Oscar Mayer Representative Elisabeth Wenner at (847) 646-4271. Consumers with questions about the recall should contact Kraft Consumer Response at 800-871-7117.

Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at 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 l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.

*USDA Recall Classifications
Class I This is a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.

Source: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_012_2007_Release/index.asp#label

yuck!!!! I eat these all the time too............
thanks for the post

Christine you may want to read this then too. I sure hope all your packages did not have the use by date in the article on them.
This is from the same article on the USDA's website.

Recommendations For People At Risk For Listeriosis

Wash hands with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat and poultry. Wash cutting boards, dishes and utensils with hot, soapy water. Immediately clean spills.

Keep raw meat, fish and poultry away from other food that will not be cooked. Use separate cutting boards for raw meat, poultry and egg products and cooked foods.

Do not eat hot dogs, luncheon meats, bologna or other deli meats unless they are reheated until steaming hot.

Do not eat refrigerated pâté, meat spreads from a meat counter or smoked seafood found in the refrigerated section of the store. Foods that don't need refrigeration, like canned tuna and canned salmon, are safe to eat. Refrigerate after opening.

Do not drink raw (unpasteurized) milk and do not eat foods that have unpasteurized milk in them.

Do not eat salads made in the store such as ham salad, chicken salad, egg salad, tuna salad or seafood salad.

Do not eat soft cheeses such as Feta, quesco blanco, quesco fresco, Brie, Camembert cheeses, blue-veined cheeses and Panela unless it is labeled as made with pasteurized milk.

Use precooked or ready-to-eat food as soon as you can. Listeria can grow in the refrigerator. The refrigerator should be 40° F or lower, and the freezer 0° F or lower. Use an appliance thermometer to check the temperature of your refrigerator.

Ugh! I was going to buy these today at the store.. glad I didn't

Thanks for the information.