Tyson Recalls 8.5 Million Pounds Of Chicken Due To Listeria Contamination

Robert Moore
Herald Staff
rmoore@harrodsburgherald.com

Tyson Foods is recalling approximately 8.5 million pounds of ready-to-eat chicken products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The contamination has made three people ill so far, and one person has died, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.

The frozen, fully cooked chicken products were produced between Dec. 26, 2020, and AprIL13, 2021. The recalled products—which were marketed under the Tyson brand, as well as Little Caesar’s, Casey’s General Store, Jet’s Pizza and Marco’s Pizza—bear establishment number “EST. P-7089” on the bag or inside the USDA mark of inspection. The chicken pieces were shipped nationwide to retailers and institutions, including hospitals, nursing facilities, restaurants, schools and Department of Defense locations. For a full list of the products subject to recall click on the link to the Pdf below or visit the USDA website.

Chicken Recall023-2021ProductList

Consumption of the contaminated food 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. Symptoms include 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.

Listeriosis can be treated with antibiotics. Persons in 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, according to the USDA.

The USDA learned two people were ill with listeriosis on June 9. Working in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state public health departments, the USDA determined the illnesses were linked to precooked chicken produced by Tyson. The investigation identified three illnesses, including one death, between April 6 and June 5. Federal and state investigators are working to find if more illnesses are linked to the contamination.

The government is concerned that some product may be in consumer and institutional freezers. Consumers are warned not eat the products, nor should they be served. The products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

For more information, visit www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls. 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 foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov.

Consumers with questions can contact Tyson customer relations at 855-382-3101.