Tyson Foods Inc., a Dexter, Mo. establishment, is recalling approximately 8,492,832 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) chicken products that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.
The company said in a statement that it is issuing the recall out of an “abundance of caution” amid possible exposure to Listeria monocytogenes, which is a harmful bacteria.
“While there is no conclusive evidence that the products were contaminated at the time of shipment, the voluntary recall is being initiated out of an abundance of caution,” the company said, reports The Hill.
According to the FDA recall statement, the products in question were produced between December 26, 2020, and April 13, 2021. They bear establishment number ‘EST. P-7089’ on the product bag or inside the USDA mark of inspection.
The products were shipped nationwide to retailers and various institutions, including hospitals, schools, and Department of Defense locations.
The agency was notified of two people sick with listeriosis – an infection caused by listeria spreading beyond the gut to other parts of the body – on June 9. A further epidemiological investigation identified three listeriosis illnesses, which includes one death, between April 6 and June 5.
Consumers should not eat these products. Institutions should not serve these products. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
Food Safety News reports that the FSIS is continuing to work with federal and state public health partners to determine if there are additional illnesses linked to these products.
