Another recall in a series of actions taken by companies in the U.S. and Canada in relation to a Listeria outbreak is underway. A Washington company is pulling sandwiches it made with chicken from Tip Top Poultry.

Jumbo Foods Inc. of Mukilteo, WA, is recalling Tuscan Sun (TS) brand chicken salad sandwiches, according to the company’s notice posted by the Food and Drug Administration.

There is a concern that some of the recalled sandwiches may be in-home and business freezers because they have an 8-month shelf life.

The company distributed the sandwiches to food service operations and retail stores in Arizona, California, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.

Jumbo Foods Inc. shipped the frozen and refrigerated sandwiches between March 11 and Sept. 27. Frozen sandwiches have no sell-by or use-by date printed on the packages. Frozen products are generally thawed, and the expiry dates are applied at stores.

Refrigerated sandwiches distributed by Jumbo Foods have 28 days shelf life and the sell-by or use-by date stickers are on the packages. Some of the recalled refrigerated sandwiches do not expire until Nov. 1.

“This recall was brought to our attention by The Suter Company whose poultry supplier Tip Top Poultry has issued a voluntary recall of ready-to-eat (RTE) poultry products that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes,” according to the recall notice.

“No illnesses have been reported to date in relation to these products or recall.”

Consumers who have purchased these recalled products should not consume them. Consumers should discard the products or return them to the point of purchase. Consumers with questions should call Jumbo Foods Inc. Customer Service at 800-562-650.

Outbreak background
Officials in the United States and Canada are investigating listeriosis outbreaks caused by Listeria monocytogenes that has initially been linked to diced chicken from Georgia-based Tip Top Poultry.

FDA investigators and staff from the U.S. Centers for Disease and Prevention are working with the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to find the root source of the Listeria. 

In the United States, 24 people have been confirmed in the 13-state outbreak, with 22 hospitalized. Two people have died, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The same strain of Listeria is involved on both sides of the border.

In related events, Georgia-based Tip Top Poultry posted a recall of an undisclosed amount of chicken — and recently expanded it by an undisclosed amount. The chicken was used in a variety of products that were vaguely described in a spreadsheet of entities that received ready-to-eat (RTE) products with the chicken. 

In Canada, the 13th recall notice related to the outbreaks was posted yesterday.

Jumbo Foods recall covers the following products:

FROZEN Product UPC Codes on Pkg Sell By/ Use By Dates Distribution Dates
TS Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad on 9 grain 4370101417 A11 – E39 None 3/11/2019 – 9/27/2019
TS Cranberry Chicken Salad on 9 grain 4370101414 A11 – E39 None 3/11/2019 – 9/27/2019
TS Chipolte Chicken Salad on 9 grain 4370101415 A11 – E39 None 3/11/2019 – 9/27/2019
TS Chicken Salad on 9 grain 4370101413 A11 – E39 None 3/11/2019 – 9/27/2019
TS Chicken Salad Wedges 4370101426 A11 – E39 None 3/11/2019 – 9/27/2019
REFRIGERATED product UPC Codes on Pkg. Sell By/ Use By Dates Distribution Dates
TS Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad on 9 grain 4370101417 A11 – E39 3/21/2019 – 11/01/2019 3/11/2019 – 9/27/2019
TS Cranberry Chicken Salad on 9 grain 4370101414 A11 – E39 3/21/2019 – 11/01/2019 3/11/2019 – 9/27/2019
TS Chipolte Chicken Salad on 9 grain 4370101415 A11 – E39 3/21/2019 – 11/01/2019 3/11/2019 – 9/27/2019
TS Chicken Salad on 9 grain 4370101413 A11 – E39 3/21/2019 – 11/01/2019 3/11/2019 – 9/27/2019
TS Chicken Salad Wedges 4370101426 A11 – E39 3/21/2019 – 11/01/2019 3/11/2019 – 9/27/2019

About Listeria infections
Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look or smell spoiled but can still cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections. Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled products and developed symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical treatment and tell their doctors about the possible Listeria exposure.

Also, everyone who has eaten any of the recalled products should monitor themselves for symptoms during the coming weeks because it can take up to 70 days after exposure to Listeria for symptoms of listeriosis to develop. 

Symptoms of Listeria infection can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness. Specific laboratory tests are required to diagnose Listeria infections, which can mimic other illnesses. 

Pregnant women, the elderly, young children, and people such as cancer patients who have weakened immune systems are particularly at risk of serious illnesses, life-threatening infections, and other complications. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, their infections can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn or even stillbirth.

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