An infant in California has died and at least 10 other people have become ill in a listeria food poisoning outbreak linked to ready-to-eat meat and poultry products that include chicken feet, duck necks, beef shanks and pork hock, federal health officials said. Friday.
Yu Shang Food, Inc., based in Spartanburg, South Carolina, has recalled more than 72,000 pounds of meat and poultry products linked to the outbreak, according to the USDA. Some products were initially recalled on November 9.
Foods were shipped to retail locations across the country and made available online, and illnesses were reported in four states. The problem was discovered in October after routine tests revealed the presence of Listeria in foods and the production environment.
The US Centers for Disease Control said that of the 11 people who contracted the disease, nine were taken to hospital. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said a California woman who was pregnant with twins became ill and both infants died, but listeria was only found in a sample from one of the infants, so that child and the mother were included in the count but the other infant was not. R.
Interviews with people who had the disease and laboratory results pointed to Yu Shang Food products.
Although the foods have been recalled, some may still be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. Products must be disposed of or returned to the place of purchase. Refrigerators, containers and other surfaces that may come into contact with food should be cleaned and sterilized.
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People get listeria poisoning when they eat foods contaminated with the bacteria. Symptoms can be mild and include fever, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. More serious ailments can include headaches, neck stiffness, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions.
Listeria poisoning is difficult, because symptoms can start quickly, within a few hours or days after eating contaminated food. But it may also take weeks or up to three months for them to appear. People most at risk of contracting the disease are the very young, people over 65, those with weakened immune systems, or pregnant women.
A different listeria outbreak linked to recalled prepared meats from Boar’s Head has ended, CDC officials said this week. This outbreak killed 10 people this summer and injured dozens more.
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