Garden Fresh Foods announced a recall Sunday on 19,000 pounds of its ready-to-eat chicken and ham distributed in the United States suspected to be tainted with Listeria.
The U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Infection Service said that the tainted products were delivered to food services, markets and retailers across the country. The products for recall include different kinds of chicken and ham products.
Garden Fresh Foods, based in Milwaukee, is one of the leading suppliers of fresh vegetables and other products. It supplies products to Weis, Spartan, Roundy’s, Portillio’s, Market Pantry, Maggie’s, Grandpa’s, Garden Fresh, Finest Traditions, D’Amico and Sons, and Archer Farms.
Archer Farms and Market Pantry are featured products at Target. Recalled products include more than 70 kinds of various dips, chicken salads, pasta salads, potato salads and many other products.
By good chance, there have been no reports and cases of Listeria infection related to these ready-to-eat foods. Garden Fresh Foods Company and its agency recommend anyone who has ingested the said products and those who suspect that they may have gotten infected to seek immediate medical attention or contact their health care provider.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Listeria is a very serious disease that is usually acquired through specific types of cheese and packaged meats. It may result to complications such as meningitis and sepsis. The most at risk are pregnant women and those that have existing diseases.
The first outbreak in the U.S. was in 2011. It was traced back to the cantaloupe produce of Jensen Farms. The owners, Eric Jensen, 37, and Ryan Jensen, 33, are now charged with six counts of “introducing adulterated food into interstate commerce.”
Consumers with queries may also contact Garden Fresh Foods Company from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at 1-800-645-3367.
