Sausages Recalled in Hawaii Because of Listeria monocytogenes

WASHINGTON, June 18, 1999--Redondo’s Inc., a Waipahu, Hawaii, processing firm is voluntarily recalling approximately 9,620 pounds of "Hawaiian Winners," a sausage product that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today.

Subject to recall are 16-oz packages of "Hawaiian Winners" with 10 sausages per package. The packages have a "sell by" date of July 22 and the product number 7336620172. The label will also bear "EST 1721" in the USDA inspection mark.

The "Winners" were distributed in the state of Hawaii.

"Because of the potential of foodborne illness, we urge consumers who have purchased the suspect product not to eat it and to return it to the point of purchase," said Thomas J. Billy, administrator of USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.

FSIS discovered the problem after being notified by U.S. Army officials and follow-up testing at the retail level. Based on the military findings, the company began a market withdrawal of the product. FSIS will monitor the course of the recall.

Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially fatal disease. Healthy people rarely contract listeriosis. Listeriosis can cause high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, and nausea. Listeriosis can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths, as well as serious and sometimes fatal infections in those with weak immune systems--infants, the frail or elderly, and persons with chronic disease, with HIV infection, or taking chemotherapy.

At this point, FSIS has received no reports of illness associated with this product. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a physician immediately.

Consumers with questions about food safety may phone the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-800-535-4555. The hotline is staffed from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday, and recorded information is available 24 hours a day.

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