The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has announced a recall of multiple brands of beef jelly tongue products due to potential Listeria monocytogenes (“Listeria”) contamination. Listeria is a bacterium that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, particularly in vulnerable populations such as young children, pregnant women, the elderly, and individuals with compromised immune systems.
Background
The recall was initiated after an investigation into a foodborne illness outbreak by the CFIA uncovered the potential for Listeria contamination.
A food safety investigation is ongoing and other products may be recalled.
The CFIA will verify that the recalled products will be removed from store shelves.
Distribution
The affected products were only sold in the Canadian province of Ontario through multiple retailers.
Product Details
| Brand | Product | Size | Packaging | UPC Code | Best By Date | Additional Information |
| Angelos Italian Bakery Market | Beef Tongue & Jelly (Clerk served) | Variable | Variable | Starting with 0203137 | All packages sold up to and including October 4, 2024 | Sold from : Angelos Italian Bakery Market, 755 Wonderland Road N, London, ON |
| Battaglia’s Marketplace | Beef Tongue In Jelly (Clerk served) | Starting with 0 200087 | All packages sold up to and including October 3, 2024 | Sold from : Battaglia’s Marketplace, 1150 Lorne Park Rd, Mississauga, ON | ||
| Brandt | Jellied Cooked Beef Tongue (Clerk served) | Starting with 0210400 | All packages sold up to and including October 4, 2024 | Sold from : G Brandt Meat Packer, 1878 Mattawa Ave, Mississauga, ON | ||
| Italo Foods | Jelly Beef Tongue (Clerk served) | Starting with 0200034 | All packages sold up to and including October 3, 2024 | Sold from : Italo Foods, 1601 River Road East, unit 24, Kitchener, ON | ||
| Not available | Jelly Tongue – Beef (Clerk served) | Not available | All packages sold up to and including October 3, 2024 | Sold from : Yummy Market, 4400 Dufferin Street, North York, ON | ||
| All packages sold up to and including October 4, 2024 | Sold from : Coppas (Scarborough) 148 Bennett Rd., Scarborough, ON | |||||
| All packages sold up to and including October 5, 2024 | Sold from : Whitehouse Bloor, 2978 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON | |||||
| All packages sold up to and including October 4, 2024 | Sold from : McEwan Shops 38 Karl Fraser Rd, Toronto, ON | |||||
| All packages sold up to and including October 4, 2024 | Sold from : Schefflers Deli, 93 Front St E, Toronto, ON | |||||
| All packages sold up to and including October 4, 2024 | Sold from : Coppas, 1700 King Road, King City, ON | |||||
| Ocean Fresh Food Market | Jellied Beef Tongue (Clerk served) | Starting with 0 200375 | All packages sold up to and including October 4, 2024 | Sold from : Ocean Fresh Food Market, 150 West Drive, Brampton, ON | ||
| Wageners Beef Tongue in Jelly (Clerk served) | Starting with 0 207105 | All packages sold up to and including October 4, 2024 | Sold from : Ocean’s Fresh Food Market, 499 Main St. W. Brampton, ON | |||
| Pusateri’s | Beef Tongue SLC (Sliced and repacked) | Starting with 0213381 | All packages sold up to and including October 4, 2024 | Sold from : Pusateri’s, 1539 Avenue Rd., Toronto, ON | ||
| Staropolskie Deli | Jelly Tongue Beef (Clerk served) or vacuum packed (clerk served) | Not available | All packages sold up to and including October 5, 2024 | Sold from : Staropolskie Delikatesy, 711 Barton St. E., Hamilton, ON | ||
| Starsky | Beef Jelly Tongue (Clerk served) | Starting with 0200832 | All packages sold up to and including October 4, 2024 | Sold from : Starsky Fine Foods, 3115 Dundas Street West, Mississauga, ON | ||
| Stemmler’s | Jellied Beef Tongue (Wagener’s) (Clerk served) | Starting with 0202744 | All packages sold up to and including October 4, 2024 | Sold from : Stemmler’s Meats & Cheese Retail Store, 3031 Lobsinger Line, Heidelberg, ON | ||
| Summerhill Market | Beef Tongue In Jelly (Sliced and repacked) | Starting with 0 213913 | All packages sold up to and including October 3, 2024 | Sold from the following Summerhill Market locations in Ontario : 446 Summerhill Ave. 1054 Mount Pleasant Rd. 484 Eglinton Ave. W. 1014 Bathurst St. 3609 Dundas St. W. 32 Wellington Street West, Aurora, York Region | ||
| The Bridgenorth Deli | Beef Tongue In Jelly (Clerk served) | Starting with 0200000 | All packages sold up to and including October 3, 2024 | Sold from : Bridgenorth Delicatessen, 871 Ward St, Bridgenorth, ON | ||
| The Wild Hog Country Market | Jellied Beef Tongue (Sliced and repacked) | Starting with 0 200408 | All packages sold up to and including October 4, 2024 | Sold from : The Wild Hog Country Market, 2785 Line 34, Stratford, ON | ||
| Vincenzo’s | Beef Tongue in Jelly (Clerk served) | Starting with 2102298 | All packages sold up to and including October 2, 2024 | Sold from : Vincenzo’s, 150 Caroline Street South, Waterloo, ON | ||
| Wagener’s | Jelly Tongue – Beef | None | November 26, 2024 Code: 208 | Distributed in Ontario | ||
| December 16, 2024 Code: 229 | ||||||
| December 30, 2024 Code: 243 |
According to the recall notice, the recalled products may have been “either clerk-served, sliced, chunked or in smaller packages, with or without a label that may not bear the same brand, product name or best before date.”
Consumer’s should contact their local retailer if they are unsure if they have purchased any of the recalled products.
Consumer Action
As with all food recalls, consumers are strongly advised to discontinue use of the affected products even if they look or smell safe to eat.
Anyone in possession of the recalled products are requested to not sell, serve, or distribute them.
The recall notice did not state whether or not the products could be returned to the place of purchase so they should be thrown away immediately.
Any surfaces that have come into contact with the recalled products should be thoroughly sanitized to avoid cross-contamination.
Consumers with additional questions or concerns can contact the CFIA by phone at 800-442-2342 toll free in either Canada or the United States or by email at [email protected].
Health Risks
Illnesses in connection with consumption of the recalled products have been reported.
Listeriosis, the infection caused by Listeria monocytogenes, is particularly dangerous for certain vulnerable populations. Pregnant individuals, people aged 65 or older, and those with weakened immune systems are at highest risk. Symptoms can include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, sometimes preceded by gastrointestinal symptoms. In pregnant individuals, listeriosis can lead to miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery, or life-threatening infections in newborns.
Anyone experiencing symptoms of Listeriosis should contact their healthcare provider immediately.
The food industry has been rocked by the massive recall of Boar’s Head sliced deli products over the last few months. So far, 10 people have died and multiple people have been sickened and hospitalized across 19 states in the United States.
Commenting on this story, one national Listeria lawyer said, “Unfortunately, it seems like people have already been sickened by this contaminated jelly beef tongue. The Boar’s Head recall has shown how deadly Listeria can be for certain members of our population. Any consumer with any of the recalled products should throw it out immediately to ensure their safety and that of their family.”
