Oct. 23, 2002 – Concern about contamination from potentially deadly food-borne bacteria led Licensing and Consumer Affairs agents to seize 1,200 pounds of packaged deli meat on St. Croix this week.
The 53 boxes of Block and Barrel Regular Turkey and Smoked Deli-Turkey are scheduled to be destroyed on Thursday, according to DLCA's director of consumer protection, Alli Paul. LCA agents also removed packages of Wampler Foods Turkey Pastrami from a supermarket shelf. "That particular brand has been recalled for possible Listeria contamination," he said on Wednesday.
A Christiansted distributor had delivered 306 pounds of the recalled turkey to 14 St. Croix stores, restaurants, hotels and food-service providers, according to a Licensing and Consumer Affairs release. It said 55 cases of meat that the distributor still had in stock would be destroyed.
Paul said enforcement officers also were searching stores and food-service pantries on St. Thomas for more of the suspect pountry products but as of Wednesday had not found any. "The problem is that some companies get supplies directly from wholesalers in Miami," he said.
Listeria, bacteria technically called lysteria monocytogenes, affect the central nervous system and are the cause of the illness listeriosis. It can be transmitted from pregnant women to their unborn babies. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up to 2,500 cases are reported each year in the United States, resulting in up to 500 deaths. People with compromised immune systems and children are especially susceptible to the illness.
Symptoms of listeriosis include high fever, severe headache, nausea and stiffness in the neck. Paul said he has received no reports of listeria-related illness from local health officials.
Consumers who think they may have purchased some of the pre-cooked deli meat should look on the package for the plant number P1351 stamped inside the U.S. Department of Agriculture inspection marker. Anyone who finds they have some of the suspect meat should return it to the place of purchase.
In addition to the Block and Barrel and Wampler brands, the suspect poultry products are sold under the brand names Bonos, Golden Acre and Reliance as well as some private labels. The products include turkey and other poultry that is sold packaged, freshly sliced or made into sandwiches at deli counters, the LCA release said.
The contaminated turkey found on St. Croix was distributed by Pilgrim's Pride in Franconia, Pennsylvania. The company also does business under the name Wampler Foods Inc. Paul said a notice dated Oct. 12 said that 27.4 million pounds of meat product from that distributor was subject to recall.
For answers to common questions about Listeria and listeriosis, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention "Listeriosis" Web site.
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