Some 2.3 million pounds of fully cooked pork products distributed nationwide are being recalled by Alexander & Hornung, a Michigan-based subsidiary of Perdue Premium Meats Company Inc., over listeria concerns.
The company first announced the voluntary recall of 234,391 pounds of ham and pepperoni products on December 5 over concerns that the food may have been contaminated with listeria monocytogenes, according to Nexstar. Alexander & Hornung notified the Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) after a test revealed positive results for listeria monocytogenes bacteria.
The company expanded the recall to approximately 2,320,774 pounds of ham and pepperoni products, according to a December 11 update from the FSIS.
“The recall includes Alexander & Hornung branded fully cooked products as well as private label products made for retail customers,” reads a statement from the company. Products affected in the recall are labeled with “‘EST. 10125′ inside the USDA mark of inspection.”
More than two dozen of the company’s products are affected by the recall. The list of products can be viewed here, and images of the labels on recalled products can be seen here.
The FSIS stated, “There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products.”
According to the FSIS:
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.
About 1600 cases of listeria occur annually in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC lists fatality rates at 20 percent, and nearly everyone diagnosed with the illness ends up hospitalized. Additionally, “Nearly one-quarter of pregnancy-associated cases result in fetal loss or death of the newborn.”
Consumers who have any of the products are urged to discard them or return them to the place of purchase, according to the FSIS. Anyone with questions or concerns can call Alexander & Hornung at 1-866-866-3703.