Listeria Detection Prompts Recall

The detection of listeria in a meat product at an Atlanta supermarket has prompted Vincent Giordano Corp., of Philadelphia, to recall about 52,000 pounds of beef. Georgia Health officials detected the pathogen on a deli meat product in a Kroger delicatessen counter.

Each of the recalled products bear the establishment number "EST. 5397" inside the USDA mark of inspection. The products subject to recall also bear the date code "350." The products were produced between Dec. 11 and Dec. 15, 2003, and were packaged on Dec. 16, 2003. They were distributed to retail stores nationwide.

Dr. Jean Weese, Alabama Cooperative Extension System food scientist and Auburn University associate professor of nutrition and food science, considers listeria “one tough bug.”

"One thing that distinguishes Listeria from better-known disease-causing agents, such as E.coli and Salmonella, is that it can be found practically everywhere – in the air, on the ground, in water, in soil and even on people," she said.

Posted by Jim Langcuster at January 31, 2004 09:17 AM