The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a public health alert regarding ham salad products that contain breadcrumb ingredients recalled by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) due to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination.
The alert affects two specific products distributed under different brand names. Reser’s Fine Foods Ham Salad, sold in 12-ounce printed plastic containers with a sell-by date of September 1, 2025, and Molly’s Kitchen Ham Salad, packaged in 5-pound clear plastic tubs with sell-by dates of August 31, 2025, are both included in the health advisory.
The contamination concern originated when Reser’s Fine Foods, Inc., operating from a facility in Topeka, Kansas, discovered they had incorporated FDA-regulated breadcrumb products into their ham salad manufacturing process. These breadcrumb ingredients were subsequently subject to an FDA recall due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.
Federal food safety officials emphasize that no confirmed cases of illness related to consumption of these ham salad products have been reported at this time. The Food Safety and Inspection Service indicated they will continue monitoring the situation and updating the public health alert as additional information becomes available, noting that more products may be added to the advisory.
Listeria monocytogenes presents significant health risks, particularly for vulnerable populations. The bacterial infection, known as listeriosis, poses the greatest danger to older adults, individuals with compromised immune systems, and pregnant women along with their newborns. While less frequent, the infection can also affect people outside these high-risk categories.
Symptoms of listeriosis include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions. These symptoms may be preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal issues. When the infection spreads beyond the digestive system, it becomes invasive and more serious.
For pregnant women, listeriosis can result in miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery, or life-threatening infections in newborns. Older adults and immunocompromised individuals face risks of severe and potentially fatal infections. Medical treatment typically involves antibiotic therapy.
Health officials recommend that individuals in high-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months of consuming potentially contaminated food seek immediate medical attention and inform their healthcare provider about the food exposure.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service expressed concern that affected products may remain in consumer refrigerators and freezers or in retail establishments. Consumers who have purchased the identified ham salad products should not consume them and are advised to discard the items or return them to their place of purchase. Retailers are similarly urged to remove these products from sale and service immediately.
Both affected products bear the USDA mark of inspection, which typically indicates federal oversight of the manufacturing process.
