Smoked Ham Recalled From S.W. Missouri For Listeria

Washington, April 17, 1998--Diggs Packing Company, a Columbia, Mo., food processing firm, is voluntarily recalling about 635 pounds of smoked ham that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced today.

All packages, weighing about 1 pound each, of "Little Dixie Smoked Ham" distributed to the southwestern Missouri area are being recalled. "EST. 2985" appears inside the USDA inspection seal on the product label. No other product is affected by the recall.

"Because of the potential foodborne illness hazard, we urge consumers who have purchased the suspect product to return it to the place of purchase," said Margaret Glavin, acting administrator of USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service.

USDA discovered the problem through its routine monitoring program for Listeria monocytogenes.

Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially serious disease. In general, healthy people rarely contract listeriosis. The most common manifestation of listeriosis is meningitis, which has symptoms of high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, and nausea. However, listeriosis can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women, as well as serious and sometimes fatal infections in those with weakened immune systems--infants, the frail or elderly, and persons with chronic disease or HIV infection or taking chemotherapy for cancer.

Consumers with questions about the recall may phone the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-800-535-4555. The hotline can be reached from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday.

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NOTE TO EDITORS: Media and other inquiries to the company should be directed to Dale Diggs or Dan Reynolds at 573-449-2995