WASHINGTON, September 10, 2003 – Victor’s Market Co. Inc, a Hawthorne, Calif., firm, is voluntarily recalling approximately 550 pounds of ready-to-eat luncheon meat that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today.

The products subject to recall are 10 lb. packages of Victor’s Market Co.:

• "DICED OVEN ROASTED TURKEY BREAST"

• "DICED CHOPPED HAM, WATER ADDED"

• "BEEF PASTRAMI, CARAMEL COLOR ADDED, READY TO EAT"

• "READY TO EAT ROAST BEEF"

• " DICED TURKEY HAM"

They were produced on September 3 and 4. The product boxes contain the company name, the date code "090303" or "090403" and the establishment number "EST. 06087M" or "EST. 06087P" inside the USDA mark of inspection.

The products were distributed to institutions in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of the products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a physician.

The problem was discovered through routine FSIS microbiological testing.

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, HIV infection or in chemotherapy.

Media and consumers with questions about the recall may contact Bruce Penso, company president, at (310) 676-0127.

Consumers with food safety questions can phone the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline. The hotline is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.

#