WASHINGTON, Jan. 17, 2015 La Guadalupana Wholesale, Inc., a Chicago, Ill., establishment, is recalling approximately 8,856 pounds of chicken tamales because they were not produced under a fully implemented Ready-To-Eat (RTE) Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) plan; a Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) program; and a hazard analysis the U.S. Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The products subject to recall include: [Labels (PDF Only)]

• 2 packs of 6 tamales in each vacuum-packed bag of LA GUADALUPANA CHICKEN TAMALES

The products bear the establishment number P-21094 inside the USDA mark of inspection with packaging dates from Nov. 19, 2014 through Jan. 4, 2015 on the label. The products were produced from Dec. 1, 2014 through Jan. 5, 2015, and then packaged using a Cryovac machine by a co-packer of La Guadalupana Wholesale from Nov.19, 2014through Jan. 2, 2015. La Guadalupana Wholesales co-packer did not conduct a hazard analysis to determine the food safety hazards reasonably likely to occur in the cryovacing process and did not identify the preventive measures the establishment could apply to control those hazards. The chicken tamales are a RTE product and fall within the Fully Cooked Not Shelf Stable category. As such, their production requires an Lm program. The product is also processed by means of physical handling and packaging, thus further requiring a HACCP plan. They were distributed for retail sale in Chicago, Ill.

The problem was discovered by an FSIS inspector, who was conducting a sanitation task in the co-packers establishment and saw plant personnel handling the RTE product in a room where raw product is also handled. An investigation was conducted and found that the co-packer had not conducted an RTE hazard analysis, developed or implemented a HACCP plan for the chicken tamales, or developed and implemented an Lm testing program. Thus, there is no assurance the products are wholesome and; therefore, safe for consumption. Consequently, the products may support the growth of pathogens that may be detrimental to health.

FSIS and the company have received no reports of illness due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.

Consumers and media with questions about the recall may contact the companys general manager, Alejandro Castro at info@senortamale.com or at 1-866-954-3654.

Consumers with food safety questions can Ask Karen, the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov or via smartphone at m.askkaren.gov. Ask Karen live chat services are available Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) 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. The online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/reportproblem.