food

Positive Listeria Sample Prompts Tip Top Poultry Recall of Over 135K Lbs. of Frozen Chicken

Eating food contaminated with listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women and their newborns

Tip Top Poultry, Inc. is recalling more than 135,000 pounds of fully cooked poultry products shipped nationwide after a sample produced by the company tested positive for listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced Tuesday.

The recalled products are "frozen, diced and mechanically separated," ready-to-eat chicken with a "pack date" of January 21, 2019 and are marked with the establishment number "P-17453" inside the USDA mark of inspection. See the list of specific items here

The USDA is concerned that some of the chicken may be in "institutional freezers."

"Institutions who have purchased these products are urged not to serve them," the agency said. "These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase."

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency discovered the contamination and notified the USDA on Aug. 17. Canadian heath officials have been investigating an ongoing outbreak of the bacteria. 

Eating food contaminated with listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women and their newborns, according to the USDA. Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms.

People in high-risk groups who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care, the USDA said. 

Anyone with questions about the recall can call Tip Top Poultry at (770) 973-8070.

Contact Us