WASHINGTON, Aug. 23, 2017 – Expresco Foods, Inc., a Montréal, Québec establishment, is recalling approximately 20,446 pounds of imported chicken skewer products that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.
The fully cooked chicken skewer items were packaged on August 9 and 15, 2017. The following products are subject to recall: [View Labels (PDF only)]
- 1.31-lb. packages of “WEST END CUISINE GRILLED MEDITERRANEAN STYLE CHICKEN SKEWERS HAND-MADE WITH CHICKEN BREAST” containing the UPC code 621588314947 with lot codes: 172562, 172640, 172571 and 172704.
- 1.09-lb. packages of “EXPRESCO GRILLED Garlic & Herb CHICKEN SKEWERS” containing the UPC code 621588315555 with lot codes: 172563, 172668, 172669 and 172670.
The products subject to recall bear establishment number “36” inside the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations in Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan and Texas.
The problem was discovered by the FSIS import inspector during routine inspection of foreign shipments. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products.
Consumption of food contaminated with L. monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns. Less commonly, persons outside these risk groups are affected.
Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract. In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn. In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics. Persons in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell the health care provider about eating the contaminated food.
FSIS and the company are concerned that some product may be frozen and in consumers’ freezers.
Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
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 www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.
Media and consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact Garry Arpin, Expresco Foods, Inc. Principal Communications Director at (514) 843-2353.
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. 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 10 a.m. to 6 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: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/reportproblem.
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