Bil Mar Listeria Recall

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28, 1999--The Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today that additional brands have been added to the list of products sold at retail and involved in voluntary recall of hot dogs and luncheon meats by Bil Mar Foods, a Zeeland, Michigan meat processing plant. The additional products were included in the December 22 recall of products that may contain Listeria monocytogenes, but were not believed to have been sold at retail. All products are identified by the Bil Mar establishment codes of "EST 6911" or "P-261." The list of specific brands for the entire recall is attached.

"Because of the potential of foodborne illness, we urge consumers to immediately check their refrigerators and freezers. If they find products from this establishment, consumers should not eat them and return them to the point of purchase," said Thomas Billy, administrator of USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service.

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

Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a physician immediately.

Consumers with questions about the recall should contact Bil Mar at 1-800-247-8339.

Consumers with questions about food safety may phone the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at l-800-535-4555. The hotline is staffed from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday, although recorded information is available 24 hours a day.

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NOTE: Access news releases and other information at the FSIS Web Site on the World Wide Web at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/

Note to Editors: Media inquiries to Bil Mar/ Sara Lee should be directed to: Theresa Herlevsen, (312) 558-8489.

LIST OF PRODUCTS:

• Allen's Pride Medium Cooked Beef Split Top Round (typically sold in frozen packages weighing from seven to 10 pounds)

• GFS Cooked Whole turkey Breast
• GFS Turkey Franks 8/lb
• GFS Turkey Franks 10/lb
• GFS Turkey Meat Smorgas Pack
• GFS Fresh Turkey Ham
• GFS Turkey Canadian Bacon

• Monarch Heritage Corned Beef Bottom Round Cooked
• Monarch Heritage Roast Beef Top Round
• Monarch Advantage All Meat Weiner 10/1
• Monarch Heritage Turkey Weiner 10/1
• Monarch Premium Natural Smoked Turkey Breast
• Monarch Heritage Deli Smoked Turkey Breast

Bil Mar products included in the previously announced (Dec. 22) recall (nationwide)

• Ball Park
• Bil Mar
• Bryan Bunsize
• Bryan 3 lb Club Pack hot dogs
• Grillmaster
• Hygrade
• Mr. Turkey
• Sara Lee Deli Meat
• Sara Lee Home Roast