By JONEL ALECCIA, Associated Press
Nearly 368,000 pounds of Oscar Mayer turkey bacon products are being recalled over possible contamination with listeria bacteria that can cause food poisoning, federal health officials said Wednesday.
No illnesses have been confirmed to date, U.S. agriculture department officials said.
Kraft Heinz Food Company of Newberry, South Carolina, announced the recall of the fully cooked turkey bacon that was produced from April 24 to June 11. The problem was discovered when the company’s laboratory testing indicated potential listeria contamination.
The recall includes the following products, which were shipped to U.S. stores nationwide, as well as the British Virgin Islands and Hong Kong:
— 12-ounce packages of Oscar Mayer Turkey Bacon Original with the UPC code 071871548601 printed on the package under the bar code. They have use-by dates from July 18 to Aug. 2 and the lot code RS40.
— 36-ounce packages of Oscar Mayer Turkey Bacon Original containing three 12-ounce packages of product with the UPC code 071871548748 printed on the package under the barcode. They include use-by dates from July 23 to Sept. 4 and lot codes RS19, RS40 and RS42.
— 48-ounce packages of Oscar Mayer Turkey Bacon Original containing four 12-ounce packages of product with the UPC code 071871548793 printed on the package under the barcode. They include use-by dates from July 18 to Sept. 4 and lot codes RS19, RS40 and RS42.
Consumers shouldn’t eat the products, which may be in their refrigerators or freezers. They should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
Listeria infections can cause serious illness, particularly in older adults, people with weakened immune systems and those who are pregnant or their newborns. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions.
About 1,600 people get sick each year from listeria infections and about 260 die, the CDC said.
Federal officials in December said they were revamping protocols to prevent listeria infections after several high-profile outbreaks, including one linked to Boar’s Head deli meats that led to 10 deaths and more than 60 illnesses last year.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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