The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) on Sunday announced the recall of over 52,000 pounds of ready-to-eat charcuterie sausage products that may be contaminated with listeria.
The brands included in the recall are Frederik’s by Meijer, Boar’s Head, Colameco’s Primo Naturale, Del Duca, and Gourmet Selection. The products are packaged in plastic trays and bear the establishment number “EST. 54.”
- “Frederik’s Spanish Style Charcuterie Sampler Tray” (6 oz, sell by 4/15/23)
- “Boar’s Head Charcuterie Trio” (6 oz, sell by 4/13/23, 4/14/23, 4/15/23)
- “Colameco’s Primo Naturale Genoa Uncured Salami” (7 oz, sell by 12/23/23)
- “Colameco’s Primo Naturale Black Pepper Uncured Salami” (7 oz, use by 12/22/23, 12/30/23, 1/17/24)
- “Del Duca Sopressata, Coppa & Genoa Salami” (1 lb, sell by 4/13/23, 4/14/23)
- “Del Duca Calabrese, Prosciutto & Coppa” (1 lb, sell by 5/6/23)
- “Del Duca Genoa Salami, Uncured Pepperoni & Hard Salami” (1 lb, use by 5/4/23)
- “Gourmet Selection Sopressata, Capocollo, Hard Salame” (12 oz, sell by 4/14/23)
Listeria is a type of foodborne illness caused by eating contaminated food that has Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. The bacterium is commonly found in deli meats and unpasteurized milk products.
No harmful effects have been recorded, but eating food infected with listeria can result in symptoms such as fever, muscle pains, and bowel issues and may be particularly dangerous for people with compromised immune systems, the elderly, and expectant mothers. Listeria can also result in headaches, neck stiffness, disorientation, unsteadiness, and seizures.
If the infection becomes severe, it can spread beyond the digestive system. In pregnant women, listeriosis can lead to miscarriages, stillbirths, premature birth, or serious infections in newborns. Serious cases can be fatal for older adults and people with weakened immune systems.
“FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators. 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,” the recall stated.
November Outbreak
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in November 2022 one death and 16 infections with listeria across six states.Samples were collected between April 2021 to September 2022 from sick individuals who had a median age of 74, with 62 percent being male.
One of the individuals, a pregnant woman, became sick during her pregnancy and lost her child, according to the health officials.
Eleven of the 13 patients with available ethnicity data had Eastern European backgrounds or spoke Russian.
A total of 13 individuals were hospitalized.
Health officials noted at the time that the “true number of sick people“ in that outbreak was likely higher than reported, and may have spread further than known, because ”some people recover without medical care and are not tested for Listeria.”
