Canadian Firm Recalls Frozen Chicken Entrées for Possible Listeria Contamination
March
4, 2008—Denver—The Colorado Department of Public Health
and Environment’s
Consumer Protection Division Wednesday advised consumers
that Inovata
Foods, an Edmonton, Alberta firm, is voluntarily recalling
approximately
3,780 pounds of frozen chicken entrées that may be
contaminated with the
bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. Listeriosis, a serious
infection caused by eating food contaminated
with the bacteria, primarily affects persons of advanced
age, pregnant
women, newborns and adults with weakened immune systems.
The recalled product involves 12-ounce packages of
“Discover Cuisine ™
Red Curry Chicken & Jasmine Rice.” Each package bears the
establishment number “Est. 302” inside the Canadian Food
Inspection
Agency mark of inspection as well as a “Best By” date of “12
18
08.”
The frozen chicken entrées were distributed to Whole
Foods stores in
Colorado. No illnesses have been reported to date. Daniel
Rifkin, Wholesale Food Program manager for the Colorado
Department of Public Health and Environment’s Consumer
Protection
Division, said, “Healthy people rarely contract listeriosis.
However,
listeriosis can cause high fever, severe headache, neck
stiffness and
nausea for those who are affected. Listeriosis also can
cause
miscarriages and stillbirths, as well as serious and
sometimes fatal
infections in those with weakened immune systems.” The
problem was discovered through the U.S. Department of
Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service sampling
process. For more information, the public may call Dan
Rifkin at 303-692-3644.
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