BACON PRODUCTS RECALLED BECAUSE OF LISTERIA CONTAMINATION

AUBURN, AUG. 20---More than 85,800 pounds of ready-to-eat, fully cooked bacon products, such as bacon bits and bacon pieces, packaged for institutional use have been recalled because of possible listeria monocytogenes contamination.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service recall includes Real Bacon Topping, Bacon Pizza Topping, Premium Small Real Bacon Chips, Real Cooked Bacon Topping and Fully Cooked Bacon Bits packed in 10, 20 and 27.5 pound boxes. The boxes were distributed by Marburger Packing, Inc., Peru, Indiana.

Listeria monocytogenes was found in a July 5 production sample analyzed by a private laboratory and reported positive on July 26. The establishment reported the finding and its intention to recall to the FSIS July 27. The company contacted distributors by phone and in writing.

The bacon products were distributed to restaurants and wholesale stores in Alabama, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas and Wisconsin. No child nutrition or export products are involved, says Dr. Jean Weese,  an Extension food safety scientist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.

All boxes are identified with Marburger Foods, #6863 and include production dates--July 5, 6, 7, 8, 21 and 22, 1999. Code numbers include MF7050 (HR) 0100A or B; MF7060 (HR) 0110 A or B; MF7080 (HR) 00100 A or B; MF7022 (HR) 0100 A or B; 07 06 99; 07 07 99; 07 21 99 A or B.
 

Listeria can be found everywhere in the environment -- in the air, on the ground and even on people. While most of it is harmless, listeria monocytogenes is a violent strain. It can cause a variety of problems.

"It can cause drastic miscarriages, birth defects and death among people who suffer from immune diseases such as AIDS," says Weese.

SOURCE: Dr. Jean Weese, an Extension food safety scientist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, (334) 844-3269.