TN Meat Processor Recalls Smoked Pork Products After FSIS Inspection Finds Potential Listeria Issue

Nick’s Famous Bar-B-Q, a Nashville, Tenn., establishment, is recalling approximately 3,140 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) smoked pork barbecue products that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes.  The frozen RTE hickory smoked pork barbecue products were produced on September 7, 2021 and September 8, 2021 and packaged on September 8, 2021.  The problem was discovered by FSIS during an assessment of the establishment’s production records.  There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products.

One would guess that the company did not take appropriate Corrective Action to sampling results from a month earlier.  During an USDA FSIS Inspection, this would have been seen by the inspectors.

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/nicks-famous-bar-b-q-recalls-ready-eat-pork-products-due-possible-listeria
Nick’s Famous Bar-B-Q Recalls Ready-To-Eat Pork Products Due to Possible Listeria Contamination

FSIS Announcement

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8, 2021 – Nick’s Famous Bar-B-Q, a Nashville, Tenn., establishment, is recalling approximately 3,140 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) smoked pork barbecue products that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The frozen RTE hickory smoked pork barbecue products were produced on September 7, 2021 and September 8, 2021 and packaged on September 8, 2021. The following products are subject to recall [view the label here]:

20-lb. boxes of “Nick’s FAMOUS Hickory Smoked Pork Bar-B-Q” with a case code of 23452 and a use by date of 09/2022.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 17863” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were distributed to institutions, including school locations in North Carolina. While the product was distributed to schools, it resulted from a commercial sale and was not part of food provided by the USDA for the National School Lunch Program.

The problem was discovered by FSIS during an assessment of the establishment’s production records.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.

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 is concerned that some product may be in institutions’ freezers. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

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. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.

Media and consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact Patrick Lewis, co-owner of Nick's Famous Bar-B-Q, at patrick.lewis@nicksfamousbarbq.com or Rich Dupont, co-owner of Nick's Famous Bar-B-Q at rich.dupont@nicksfamousbarbq.com.

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. Consumers can also browse food safety messages at Ask USDA or send a question via email to MPHotline@usda.gov. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/.