Congressional and Public Affairs
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Steven Cohen

WASHINGTON, Jan. 11, 2004 – American Kitchen Delights Inc., a Harvey, Ill., firm, is voluntarily recalling approximately 5,190 pounds of frozen beef brisket dinners that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The products subject to recall are cases of frozen "BEEF BRISKET WITH POTATOES, SPINACH AND GRAVY UNITED CODE # 9229."

Each case contains 45 – 8.7 oz. entrees and has a net weight of 24.7 pounds. Each case also bears the establishment code "17439" inside the USDA seal of inspection.

The beef brisket dinners were produced on Dec. 31, 2003 and were shipped to a wholesale distributor in Arizona. Because of quick Agency action, all of the cases are believed to be under control and no product has reached consumers.

The problem was discovered through routine FSIS microbiological testing.

Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially fatal disease. Healthy people rarely contract listeriosis. However, listeriosis can cause high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea. Listeriosis can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths, as well as serious and sometimes fatal infections in those with weak immune systems – infants, the frail or elderly and persons with chronic disease, HIV infection or in chemotherapy.

Consumers with questions about the recall may contact company Quality Assurance Manager Eloy Diaz at 708-210-3200. Media with questions about the recall may contact company President Shahnawaz Hasan at 847-951-1139.

Consumers with food safety questions can phone the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline. The hotline is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.

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NOTE: Access news releases and other information at the FSIS Web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov

People at risk for listeriosis and their family members or individuals preparing food for them should:

Reheat until steaming hot the following types of ready-to-eat foods: hot dogs, luncheon meats, cold cuts, fermented and dry sausage, and other deli-style meat and poultry products. Thoroughly reheating food can help kill any bacteria that might be present. If you cannot reheat these foods, do not eat them.

Wash hands with hot, soapy water after handling these types of ready-to-eat foods. (Wash for at least 20 seconds.) Also wash cutting boards, dishes, and utensils. Thorough washing helps eliminate any bacteria that might get on your hands or other surfaces from food before it is reheated.

Do not eat soft cheeses such as feta, Brie, Camembert, blue-veined or Mexican-style cheese. You can eat hard cheeses, processed cheeses, cream cheese, cottage cheese, and yogurt.

Do not drink raw, unpasteurized milk or eat foods made from it, such as unpasteurized cheese.

Observe all expiration dates for perishable items that are precooked or ready-to-eat.

Class I This is a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.

Class II This is a health hazard situation where there is a remote probability of adverse health consequences from the use of the product.

Class III This is a situation where the use of the product will not cause adverse health consequences.