PRO/AH> Listeriosis, meat recall - USA (Wisconsin)

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Subj: PRO/AH> Listeriosis, meat recall - USA (Wisconsin)

Date: 1/16/99 9:32:31 PM Eastern Standard Time

From: promed@... (ProMED-AHEAD)

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LISTERIOSIS, MEAT RECALL - USA (WISCONSIN)

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A ProMED-mail post

http://www.healthnet.org/programs/promed.html>

[see also:

Listeriosis, multifocal - USA (06) 990109123624]

Date: Sat, 16 Jan 1999 04:03:18 -0500

Source: News media, 15 Jan 1998 (edited) & Press Release

MADISON, Wisconsin. Mayer Foods announced that it is voluntarily

recalling one day's production of two OSCAR MAYER sliced luncheon meat

products that may contain _Listeria_ bacteria. The two recalled products

are 9 oz. OSCAR MAYER Club Sandwich Variety-Pak sliced luncheon meats and

10 oz. OSCAR MAYER All American Variety-Pak sliced luncheon meats both with

the JAN 12 date in the upper left corner on the back of the package. The

two products were distributed nationally and should no longer be in stores,

since they are now past their shelf life date.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has tested samples of the JAN 12

OSCAR MAYER Club Sandwich Variety-Pak and found _Listeria_. The OSCAR MAYER

All American Variety-Pak was made on the same day on the same line, so the

company is recalling both products with the JAN 12 date. There has been a

single report of illness potentially linked to the OSCAR MAYER Club

Sandwich Variety-Pak product.

OSCAR MAYER Club Sandwich Variety-Pak contains smoked turkey breast, smoked

cooked ham and oven roasted turkey breast slices. OSCAR MAYER All American

Variety-Pak contains cotto salami, bologna and chopped ham slices. Both

variety packs have a JAN 12 date in the upper left corner on the back of

the package.

No other dates of Variety-Pak are part of the recall. No other OSCAR MAYER

sliced luncheon meats, hotdogs or bacon are part of the recall.

The company is cooperating fully with USDA.

" Safety is our first and highest concern. We are doing everything possible

to ensure the well-being of our consumers and the integrity of our

products, " said G. Searer, President of Mayer Foods.

Consumers who have purchased the two products with the JAN 12 date should

not eat them and should return the packages to the store where purchased

for a full refund. Consumers with questions about the products involved in

the recall can call 1- from 7:00 A.M. CST to 10:00 P.M. CST.

Information about the recall can also be found at the company's website at

www.oscar-mayer.com/specialreport, beginning at 5:00 PM CST on January 15.

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This recall is at least the fourth in the United States related to

_Listeria_ since October. Mayer was cited as saying there has been

one report of potential illness linked to the Mayer Club Sandwich

Variety-Pak product.

The U.S. Agriculture Department was cited as saying that so far it did not

believe that this case of _Listeria_ [contamination] was linked to an

outbreak being investigated by the department and the Atlanta-based Centers

for Disease Control and Prevention, adding, " At this point FSIS (the USDA's

Food Safety and Inspection Service) has no evidence linking this product to

the nationwide listeriosis outbreak, which is still under joint FSIS and

CDC investigation, " the USDA said in a statement on the Mayer recall.

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