The public may have been exposed to the "adulterated" poultry in a variety of dining settings, health officials have warned.
Whether you’re hunkering down this weekend with homemade soup or trying to stay trim in the new year, your body will thank you for choosing the lean protein of chicken breast (though experts agree that dark meat can give you a bigger nutrition boost).
For anyone choosing chicken at a restaurant, cafeteria, or other dining establishment, there’s a concerning new warning from the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). In a January 16 post, the agency reported that approximately 13,720 pounds of ready-to-eat grilled chicken breast fillets have been recalled because they “may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes.”
The contamination issue was first flagged by a third party after a lab sample revealed a positive test result for the bacteria in the chicken breast product. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Listeria infection is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the United States,” with an average 1,250 people infected each year. Though it’s not detailed how the bacteria was introduced, avian medicine experts at Penn State note that the presence of Listeria monocytogenes is “somewhat rare” in poultry.
The FSIS reports that the recalled chicken was sent to distribution centers with the intent of foodservice sales. In total, seven states reportedly received shipments of the potentially affected chicken: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Ohio.
According to a product packaging photo, the chicken is shipped and stored frozen. The FSIS also provided the following details:
- Product: Fully cooked grilled chicken breast fillets with rib meat
- Packaged in 10-pound cases containing two 5-pound bags
- Lot code 60104 P1382 287 5 J14 on the side of the case and on the package
- Establishment number P-1382 inside the USDA mark of inspection
Suzanna’s Kitchen, based out of Norcross, GA, describes itself as a company offering a variety of meat products for “restaurants, schools, cafeterias, convenience stores, and virtually all types of food service operations.”
Though no confirmed illnesses had been reported as of the January 16 posting, the FSIS advises the public to seek the care of a healthcare professional if there are illness concerns.
Specific recall remedy instructions were not provided. However, questions can be directed to Suzanna’s Kitchen customer service director, Dawn Duncan, at dduncan [at] suzannaskitchen.com.
For daily wellness updates, subscribe to The Healthy newsletter and follow The Healthy on Facebook and Instagram. Keep reading:
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