Ohio Establishment Recalls Fully Cooked Beef Patties for Listeria

An Ohio establishment is recalling fully cooked beef patties after a further-processor had reported that product tested positive for Listeria.

This is the type of product that is purchased by a foodservice supplier/distributor (further-processor) that takes the cooked burger, puts it on a bun, and sells it to vending machines companies to in convenience stores.  The item would be considered a 'heat and serve' product.  Any Listeria contamination that gets onto the product would likely be consumed.  Further, if the product is held at refrigeration temperature, it would have the opportunity to grow.

The further processor in this case would have tested this product as part of their supplier control program / ingredient receiving protocol.


USDA Recall Notice
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2015/recall-034-2015-release
Kenosha Beef International Recalls Beef Product Due to Possible Listeria Contamination
Class I Recall 034-2015
Health Risk: High Feb 19, 2015
En Español
Congressional and Public Affairs  Alexandra Tarrant  (202) 720-9113

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19, 2015 – Kenosha Beef International, a Columbus, Ohio, establishment, is recalling approximately 21,427 pounds of ready-to-eat beefsteak patty product that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The fully cooked beefsteak patties were produced on Jan. 24, 2015. The following product is subject to recall:
35.3-lb. boxes of “Fully Cooked Black Angus Ground Beefsteak (chopped and formed)” with product number 87657 and “use thru” date of 01/24/16.

The product subject to recall bears the establishment number “EST. 10130” inside the USDA mark of inspection. This product was shipped to distributors in Illinois and North Carolina for further distribution to restaurants.

The problem was discovered by a customer of Kenosha Beef International. The customer, a further processor, tested a sample of product produced the same day as the recalled product, returning a positive result for Listeria monocytogenes. FSIS and the company have received no reports of illness due to consumption of these products.

Consumption of food contaminated with 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.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers.

FSIS advises all consumers to reheat ready-to-eat product until steaming hot.

Media and consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact Dennis Vignieri, President and CEO, at (262) 859-2272.