On Friday December 1, 2023, 708 pounds of ready-to-eat beef and poultry were recalled due to a possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The meat was recalled by Pelleh Poultry Corporation located in Swan Lake, New York and was announced shortly after by the US Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The recalled products have packaging dates between October 25, 2023 – November 20, 2023 and were shipped to retail locations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. Among the products recalled are various types of sausages, duck confit, turkey breasts, pastrami, and many more. The possible bacterial contamination was detected from testing results performed in the Pelleh Poultry facility.
USDA has classified this recall as a Class I – High Risk Recall.
At this time there are no reported infections or hospitalizations attributed to this possible contamination.
Listeria monocytogenes bacteria can be found in water, soil, and animal feces and can infect meat and ready-to-eat products in a couple of different ways. One way is for the food to come into contact with the bacteria in the facility where it is packaged and prepared. Another way is for the animal to carry the bacteria by having consumed water or soil contaminated with Listeria.
Listeria especially thrives in refrigerated environments and frequently targets ready-to-eat foods. Some methods for reducing the risk of a listeria infection include cooking meat and ready-to-eat foods to the proper internal temperature, consuming the read-to-eat product within a couple of days, and keeping refrigerators clean.
Consuming the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes can cause a rather serious infection called Listeriosis. Healthy individuals are not as likely to suffer greatly from this infection, however, pregnant women, the elderly, and young children are particularly susceptible to listeria infections. The most common symptoms associated with a serious case of listeriosis are fever, headaches, muscle aches, confusion, and diarrhea and a medical provider should be contacted
Consumers and retailers of beef and poultry products from the aforementioned states are encouraged to check the labels and packaging dates on recently purchased meat products. A list of all recalled ready-to-eat meat products is available here.
