Check against the official notice below — it lists the full affected range.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a public health alert on August 7, 2020, regarding ready-to-eat sausage products produced by Bluegrass Provisions Co. in Kentucky that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The affected products are 14-ounce packages of Blue Grass Mettwurst, Walnut Creek Foods Smoked Sausage, and Lidl Smoked Bratwurst varieties (with and without cheese), all containing 6 pieces and bearing establishment number "EST. 7417." These items were produced on April 22, 2020, with a use or freeze by date of July 23, 2020, and were distributed to Kentucky, Ohio, North Carolina, and Virginia. A formal recall was not issued because the products are believed to be past their expiration dates and no longer in stores.
Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection particularly dangerous for older adults, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, though others can also be affected. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, and loss of balance, sometimes preceded by diarrhea. People at higher risk who experience flu-like symptoms within two months of eating contaminated food should seek medical care. According to the alert, consumers who have purchased these products should throw them away or return them to the place of purchase.
Written by software from the official notice below. Not reviewed by a lawyer.
Product Contamination
WASHINGTON, Aug. 7, 2020 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert because Bluegrass Provisions Co., a Crescent Springs, Ky. establishment, produced sausage products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes . A recall was not requested because it is believed that all products are no longer in commerce and are past their use or freeze by dates. The ready-to-eat smoked sausage items were produced on Apr. 22, 2020. The following products subject to the public health alert are: 14-oz. plastic packages containing 6 pieces of “BLUE GRASS METTWURST,” with a use or freeze by date of July 23, 2020. 14-oz. plastic packages containing 6 pieces of “WALNUT CREEK FOODS Smoked Sausage,” with a use or freeze by date of July 23, 2020. 14-oz. plastic packages containing 6 pieces of Lidl “SMOKED BRATWURST,” with a use or freeze by date of July 23, 2020. 14-oz. plastic packages containing 6 pieces of Lidl “SMOKED BRATWURST WITH CHEESE,” with a use or freeze by date of July 23, 2020. The products bear establishment number “EST. 7417” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to distributors and retail locations in Kentucky, Ohio, North Carolina, and Virginia. The problem was discovered by routine testing and the results showed one of the products was contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The additional products may be affected by cross-contamination. Consumption of food contaminated with L. 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 can occur 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 is concerned that some product may be 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. FSIS advises all consumers to reheat ready-to-eat product until steaming hot. Members of the media with questions about the public health alert can contact Paul Rice, President of Blue Grass Quality Meats, at (859) 394-0689. Consumer inquiries can be directed to David Kegley, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Blue Grass Quality Meats, at (859) 331-7100. Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or live chat via Ask USDA from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Consumers can also browse food safety messages at Ask USDA or send a question via email to MPHotline@usda.gov . For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/ .
Official record: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service ↗
Republished from the official source above; details can change — the source record controls.