Grocery retailer Hy-Vee Inc. is recalling some of its meat, poultry, and potato products because they contain mushrooms and tomatoes that McCain Foods has recalled because of potential bacterial contamination.
Hy-Vee officials said in a notice yesterday that McCain Foods recalled the implicated caramelized mushrooms and fire-roasted tomatoes because of possible contamination with Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. McCain Foods is a multinational corporation that specializes in frozen products as well as producing a variety of other foods and food ingredients.
The recall notice posted by Hy-Vee did not include any information from McCain Foods about how the potential contamination was discovered, what caused it, or what whether the supplier has recalled any other products. As of Oct. 18, Hy-Vee had not received any confirmed reports of illnesses or deaths in relation to its recalled products.
Products subject to recall were sold at all Hy-Vee locations. The grocery chain has 245 stores across an eight-state region. All of the recalled products subject to this recall have best if used by dates of Oct. 22 or sooner.
“Customers who purchased any of these products with these dates should not consume them. Customers are being asked to discard these items or return them to their local Hy-Vee store for a full refund,” according to the recall notice, which includes product photos.
Products under recall from all of Hy-Vee’s stores are:
- Hy-Vee Bacon Wrapped Cowgirl Chicken Grillers – 8 ounce each with the UPC number 023092600000
- Hy-Vee Fire Roasted Tomato, Spinach, Mozzarella Twice Baked Potato – 5 ounce each with the UPC number 023755400000
- Hy-Vee Cowgirl Chicken Griller Patty – 6 ounce each with the UPC number 023100200000
- Hy-Vee Gourmet Steakhouse Mushroom & Swiss Burger – 6 ounce each with the UPC number 023168400000
- Hy-Vee Ground Beef Sliders Mushroom & Swiss – 2 ounce each with the UPC number 023164300000
- Hy-Vee Ground Beef Sliders Mushroom & Swiss – 12 count, 30 ounces with the UPC number 023266600000
Although no illnesses had been reported as of Oct. 18, it can take up to 70 days after exposure for symptoms of Listeria monocytogenes infection to develop. Infection from Salmonella bacteria usually takes 12 to 72 hours to develop.
Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled products should monitor themselves for signs of foodborne illness in the coming days and weeks.
The most common symptoms of salmonellosis are diarrhea, abdominal cramps. The illness usually lasts four to seven days. Otherwise healthy adults often recover without medical treatment. However, people in high-risk groups — which include children, the elderly, pregnant women and individuals with compromised immune systems — can develop serious infections and other complications that require hospitalization.
Listeriosis can cause all of the symptoms seen with Salmonella infections, plus fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions. Infections from Listeria monocytogenes are even more dangerous for people in high risk groups than Salmonella infections.
Listeriosis is an invasive infection that can easily spread beyond the gastrointestinal tract. In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn. Serious and sometimes fatal infections develop in older adults, young children and people with weakened immune systems.
People 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. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics, but proper diagnosis requires specific lab tests.
Consumers with questions may contact Hy-Vee 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 800-772-4098.
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