More Than 234,000 Pounds Of Ham, Pepperoni Products Recalled Over Listeria Risk

A company is recalling 234,391 pounds of its fully cooked ham and pepperoni products because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recall affects various pork products under several brand names.

The problem was discovered when Michigan-based Alexander & Hornung informed the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) that product sampling turned out to be positive for Listeria monocytogenes, the FSIS noted in the announcement.

Consuming food that's contaminated with L. monocytogenes can lead to a serious infection called listeriosis. The condition primarily affects older adults, people with weakened immune systems and pregnant women and their newborns, while people not in these at-risk groups may also be affected albeit "less commonly," the announcement explained.

In adults aged 65 and older, as well as those with weakened immune systems, listeriosis may cause a serious and even fatal infection. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the risk is greater "the older you are" or "the weaker your immune system."

In pregnant women, listeriosis tends to be a mild illness but it can cause severe disease for the fetus or newborn baby as the bacteria can spread to the baby via the placenta. It may also cause stillbirths, miscarriages and premature delivery.

"An estimated 1,600 people get listeriosis each year, and about 260 die," the CDC said.

In the case of the current recall, there have so far been "no confirmed reports" of adverse reactions from consuming the products.

"While there have been no illnesses or complaints associated with the products and there is no conclusive evidence that the products were contaminated at the time of shipment, the voluntary recall is being initiated out of an abundance of caution," Alexander & Hornung noted in a statement.

The FSIS is urging those who may still have the products in their homes to not eat them and instead throw them away or take them back to the store where they were purchased. The recalled products have "EST. M10125" inside the USDA mark of inspection and were shipped to retailers nationwide.

A full list of the affected products is available here. It includes products such as the Wellshire Wood Smoked No Carving Required Spiral Sliced All Natural Semi-Boneless Cooked Seasoned Uncured Ham, Alexander & Hornung Spiral Sliced Smoked Ham With Natural Juices, Garrett Valley Farms All Natural Spiral Sliced Uncured Ham Fully Cooked Semi-Boneless, Five Star Brand Pepperoni and Niman Ranch All Natural Applewood Smoked Uncured Ham.

The specific "sell by" or "best by" dates of the affected products are also included in the list, while photos of the packaging including some important codes and descriptions to help identify them are available here.

Furthermore, the company clarified that no other products apart from those that were listed are affected by the recall. Those with questions about the recall may contact the company's consumer hotline at 1-866-866-3703.