The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) is advising consumers that Tyson Foods is recalling 8,492,832 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
The frozen, fully cooked chicken products were produced between December 26, 2020 and April 13, 2021. The products subject to recall have establishment number "EST. P-7089" on the product bag or inside the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) mark of inspection. These items were shipped nationwide to retailers and institutions, including hospitals, nursing facilities, and restaurants. The products that are subject to the recall are listed online. (See link below)
Consumption of food contaminated with L. monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, people with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns. Less commonly, people outside these risk groups are affected. Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract. In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn. People in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell their healthcare provider about eating the contaminated food.
On June 9, 2021, the USDA was notified of two people ill with listeriosis. Working in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local public health partners, the USDA determined there is evidence linking the Listeria monocytogenes illnesses to precooked chicken produced at Tyson Foods. The epidemiologic investigation identified three listeriosis illnesses, including one death, between April 6, 2021 and June 5, 2021.
USDA is concerned that some product may be in consumer and institutional freezers. Consumers should not eat these products. Institutions should not serve these products. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.