WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert due to concerns that ready-to-eat (RTE) ham products produced by Sunnyvalley Smoked Meats, a Manteca, Calif. establishment, may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. A recall was not requested because it is believed that the affected products are no longer in commerce.
The RTE ham products were produced on Sept. 25, 2023. The following product is subject to the public health alert [view labels]:
- 4-lb. (average weight) vacuum-packed clear plastic packages containing “Kirkland Signature Applewood Smoked MASTER CARVE HALF HAM Boneless With Natural Juices” with Use / Freeze by date Jan 20 24 and a sticker with lot number 264 – 4.
The products bear establishment number “EST. 17823” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations in California and Nevada.
The problem was discovered after the establishment’s laboratory testing indicated the product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The establishment notified FSIS that some of the affected product was distributed into commerce.
There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a health care 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 can occur 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 consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
Media with questions regarding the public health alert can contact Nikki Richardson, at 918-521-0531 or nikki.richardson@jbssa.com. Consumers with questions regarding the public health alert can contact Courteney Rangel, Quality Assurance Manager, at 209-647-3504 or crangel@sunnyvalleysmokedmeats.com.
Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) 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/.
