Recall on ready-to-eat chicken and ham products due to potential - Tucson News Now

Garden Fresh Foods, a Milwaukee establishment, is recalling approximately 19,054 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken and ham products due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced.

The company previously announced that these products are being recalled in conjunction with other foods regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A full list of products being recalled can be found on the FDA's website here. Products regulated by FSIS bear the establishment number "EST. 17256" or "Est. P-17256" inside the USDA mark of inspection and include the following:

The products were distributed to retail and food service establishments nationwide. The problem was discovered through microbiological testing at the facility by FDA. FDA, FSIS and the company have not received reports of illnesses due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider. 

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/current-recalls-and-alerts.

Consumers with questions regarding the recall should contact the company at (800) 645-3367. Media with questions about the recall should contact the company's Vice President of Sales, Steve Mueller at (414) 645-1000.

Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov or via smartphone at m.askkaren.gov. "Ask Karen" live chat services are available Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET. 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. The online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/report-a-problem-with-food.

Recommendations for People At-Risk for Listeriosis: 

• Wash hands with warm, soapy water before and after handling raw meat and poultry for at least 20 seconds. 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 reheated until steaming hot.
• Do not eat refrigerated paté, 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.

Copyright 2013 Tucson News Now All rights reserved.