The meat in your cart may be contaminated

The United States Food Safety and Inspection Service yesterday released an advisory that several food products manufactured by the Bar-S Foods Company are being recalled for possible contamination with the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeria is known to cause a serious infection caused by consumption of contaminated foods. The disease primarily affects pregnant women and older adults with weaker immune systems.

However, the CNMI Department of Public Health pointed out that no illnesses have, so far, been associated with any Bar-S products in the Northern Marianas.

As a precautionary measure, Bar-S Foods has voluntarily recalled all products produced at its Clinton, Oklahoma plant. These are mainly processed meat and poultry products with the Bar-S trademark and were produced before March 30, 2001.

The products subject to recall are marked on the package with the establishment number 471 or P-471.

These are: Bar-S; Bar-S Extra Lean; Coronado; Chuck Wagon; E-Z Carve and Thrifty brand sliced luncheon meat such as smoked ham and sausage products with a code “date of use by June 7, 2001 or earlier or a Julian Date 00089 or earlier.”

Also included in the list of recalled products are all Bar-S 1-pound and 3-pound corn dogs with the establishment number P-213 or P-1843 on the package.

DPH and USFSIS are encouraging retailers and consumers to immediately dispose of any of these products to ensure public health and safety.

DPH is also advising the public to take precautionary measure even if it noted that the risk of an individual developing Listeria infection after consumption of a contaminated product is very small.

It added that those who have eaten a contaminated product or show any symptoms — sudden onset of fever, headache, tiredness, aches and pain, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting — are not really recommended to have a medical test or treatment.

But individuals who belong in the high-risk group like pregnant women and older adults who have weaker immune systems are advised to immediately contact their physicians regarding the exposure to the bacteria.

For more information regarding the Bar-S recall, consumers are urged to contact the public health department at 664-4870/72. They should also contact Food Safety and Inspection Services at 1-800-535-4555.