Date
Published: Thursday, August 14th, 2008
Source of Article: http://www.newsinferno.com/archives/3637
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH)
expanded this week’s tuna salad recall and is now advising consumers not to eat
any deli-prepared tuna salad purchased from July 26th to August 10th. The
tuna salad was recalled over concerns of potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination in bulk tuna salad
manufactured by wholesale distributor Home Made Brand Foods.
The bulk distributor voluntarily recalled about
5,000 pounds of Ready-to-Eat Tuna Salad after routine sampling found the
product had the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
The
recalled tuna salad has an expiration date of August 19th and was distributed
to Stop and Shop Supermarkets and other retail supermarkets and
delicatessens. Because Home Made Brand Foods is a bulk distributor and
the tuna salad distribution is fairly widespread, the Massachusetts DPH is urging consumers to
discard and not consume any tuna salad purchased from retail outlets between
the two-three week period mentioned.
While no cases of listeriosis
infection have yet been reported in connection with this recall, anyone feeling
ill after eating deli-prepared tuna salad dated during this time period should
seek immediate medical attention. Consumers with questions or concerns
may call the DPH Food Protection Program at 617-983-6712.
Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis,
a serious food poisoning infection. Listeriosis
outbreaks have been associated with consuming unpasteurized or raw milk,
contaminated soft cheeses, vegetables, and ready-to-eat meats. The
bacterium is found in soil and water and animals can carry the bacterium
without appearing ill, contaminating foods of animal origin such as meats and
dairy products. Because Listeria thrives in the cold, refrigerated food
products provide an ideal environment for the germ.
The disease typically affects pregnant women—often
resulting in stillborn deaths or miscarriage—newborns, the elderly, those with
chronic medical conditions, those undergoing chemotherapy, and those with
weakened immune systems and HIV. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches,
and gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea or diarrhea. If infection
spreads to the nervous system, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of
balance, or convulsions can occur.
Meanwhile, this March, Stop & Shop Supermarket
voluntarily recalled four types of prepared chicken due to potential listeria contamination. Also, in 1998, 15 deaths and
six miscarriages were linked to listeria traced to
meat shipped from the Bil Mar factory near Zeeland
and, just last week, the FSIS announced that individually packaged ready-to-eat
chicken and turkey sandwiches, manufactured by DBC, Inc.—which also does
business as World Class Canapés—were recalled over Listeria contamination
concerns discovered through microbiological sampling.
Generally considered a rare food borne illness, in recent months, listeria has been the focus of a number of outbreaks and we
have long been reporting on the rash of food borne contaminations from Listeria
monocytogenes, E. coli, Salmonella, and Botulism, to
name a few. Part of the reason such illnesses are on the rise, is this
country’s outdated and under-funded food-surveillance system that has become
overwhelmed by the emergence of mega-farms, -distribution centers, and
-transporters.
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