Tyson recalls 4,200 tons of chicken over Listeria concern
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced that Tyson Foods is recalling 8,492,832 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken products that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes.
On June 9, 2021, FSIS was notified of two persons ill with listeriosis. Working in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state public health partners, FSIS determined there is evidence linking the Listeria monocytogenes illnesses to precooked chicken produced at Tyson Foods.
The investigation identified three listeriosis illnesses, including one death, between April 6, 2021 and June 5, 2021.
During sample collection, FSIS collected two precooked chicken samples from two establishments that are closely related genetically to Listeria monocytogenes from ill people. One of the samples was collected at Tyson Foods Inc.
FSIS is concerned that some of the products may be in home and institutional freezers. The products should not be eaten or be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
L. monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns. Less commonly, persons outside these risk groups are affected.
Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms.
An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract. In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn. In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems.
Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics. Persons 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.
The products were shipped nationwide to retailers and institutions, including hospitals, nursing facilities, restaurants, schools and Department of Defense locations
The frozen, fully cooked chicken products were produced between December 26, 2020 and April 13, 2021.
The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. P-7089” on the product bag or inside the USDA mark of inspection and are listed below:
Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or live chat via Ask USDA from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday.
