Corn that was earlier recalled at the behest of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has now led to the recall of 117,350 pounds of meat tamale products from the Hialeah, FL-based La Authentic Foods, LLC., as USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service picked up the scent of possible Listeria Monocytogenes contamination.
The recalled heat-treated, not fully cooked, not shelf stable tamale in corn husk items were produced from Sept. 4, 2015 to April 26, 2016. Products subject to the recall include:
• 20-oz. PLASTIC BAG packages containing four pieces of “TAMAL EN HOJA TAMAL IN CORN HUSK.”
• 30-oz. PLASTIC BAG packages containing six pieces of “TAMAL CUBANO EN SU HOJA CUBAN TAMALE WRAPPED IN CORN HUSK WITH DICED PORK.”
• 20-oz. PLASTIC BAG packages containing four pieces of “TAMALES CUBANOS ESTILO CASERO CUBAN STYLE TAMELES WITH PORK.”
• 15.5-lb. BOX packages containing fifty pieces of “TAMALES WRAPPED IN CORN HUSK.”
• 15.5-lb. BOX packages containing forty pieces of “TAMALES ESPECIAL WRAPPED IN CORN HUSK.”
The packaging differs from product to product, but the package labels can be viewed here (PDF only).
The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 11154” inside the USDA mark of inspection. Retail and restaurant distribution was limited to Florida. The retail distribution list(s) will be available shortly on the FSIS website.
The problem was discovered during an FDA recall of frozen corn contaminated with Listeria Monocytogenes. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of the tamales.
Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria Monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns.
Less commonly, persons outside these risk groups are affected. Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract. In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn. In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems.
Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics. Persons in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell the health care provider about eating the contaminated food.
FSIS and the company are concerned that some product may be frozen and in consumers’ freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
