ANOTHER CHICKEN PRODUCTS RECALL DUE TO LISTERIA

Yesterday I blogged the Starbucks ready-to-eat chicken products recall. Today there is another one. The reason is the same: the USDA testing turned up Listeria monocytogenes bacteria - the one that is so dangerous to pregnant women and certain other people (see previous post).

This time the company recalling the products is based in Texas not Georgia. It's Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation. Do you remember their huge recall of RTE turkey and chicken products for the same reason (Listeria bacteria) in 2002? (See the next post).

Here are the items being recalled:

- 10 lb. boxes containing 2 5-lb bags of “Sweet Georgia Brand Fully Cooked Breaded White Chicken Nuggets Shaped Patties”
- 30 lb. boxes containing 6 5-lb bags of “Pilgrim’s Pride Fully Cooked Grilled Chicken Breast Fillet with Rib Meat

But you won't find these products in U.S. stores. They were only sent to institutional clients through Ohio, New Jersey, and Texas distribution centers. Who knows where they ended up. Our food really travels around these days. And it is packaged and repackaged and repackaged and relabelled again and again.

The USDA notice of the recall does not say that the products were frozen, but they must be since the use-by date on the grilled chicken products is December 26, 2011. By the way, that is six months after they were produced. Ugh - antique food! No wonder it is contaminated. By the way, Listeria monocytogenes bacteria survive very well in the refrigerator, and, in the freezer.

To your good health,
TSF

STARBUCKS CHICKEN PRODUCT RECALL

Over the years, Starbucks has extended food and drink offerings way beyond all those wonderful varieties of coffee. This roaster and retailer of specialty coffee now operates in over 50 countries in the world. Share prices are up over 50% over the past year. But with an expanded menu also comes added risk. Today the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a recall of two of its menu items. The USDA/FSIS again found that nasty bacteria, Listeria monocytogenes, that keeps turning up in ready-to-eat food.

The items recalled are:

• 8.4-ounce packages of “STARBUCKS CHIPOTLE CHICKEN WRAPS Bistro Box”
• 6.3-ounce packages of “STARBUCKS CHICKEN & HUMMUS Bistro Box”

These ready-to-eat chicken products were produced for Starbucks by Flying Food Group, LLC, of Lawrenceville, Georgia on July 13, 2011. They were distributed to coffee shops in Georgia and Alabama. Most likely, they have already been eaten. No illnesses have been reported so far, but that's hardly surprising. The incubation period for Listeriosis (the illness caused by Listeria bacteria) can range from as little as 6 hours to 70 or even 90 days. But is usually around 12 days. In other words, not enough time has lapsed yet for people to get sick.

As stressed in The Safe Food Handbook pregnant women, people on corticosterioid therapy, and people with a compromised immune systems need to be aware of the extra risks involved in eating ready-to-eat foods and in eating out. Listeria bacteria are a common threat. Read the several earlier posts on Listeria in ready-to-eat foods and on how Listeriosis can be disastrous for pregnant women.

To your good health,
TSF

UPDATE: This recall has been expanded twice - July 26 and 28, to include additional products. See separate post.