Listeria Contamination Prompts Recall Of Meat Products Made And Sold In LA County

ROSEMEAD, CA — A line of frozen meatballs made and sold in Los Angeles County have been recalled because they may be contaminated with listeria, which causes food poisoning, federal regulators announced this week.

The affected products, produced by Rosemead-based Phu Huong Food Company, were produced on Oct. 2 and packaged on Oct. 3. The recall impacts 11-ounce vacuum-sealed packages of beef/chicken meatballs, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.

The recalled products are labeled “BÒ VIÊN PHÙ-HƯƠNG GÂN BEEF MEATBALLS (WITH BEEF TENDONS) (Chicken added / Cô Gá)” and have lot codes between 200101-200124 on a sticker on the back of the package.

They bear establishment number “EST. 7681” inside the USDA mark of inspection.

The contamination was discovered when federal regulators performed routine testing on the product and identified listeria monocytogenes contamination.

The USDA reported that there have been no confirmed reports of adverse relations due to consumption of the meatballs.

The products, which may be refrigerated or frozen, should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase, the USDA said.

Consumption of food contaminated with listeria can cause listeriosis, an infection that can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions. Those symptoms are sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms, according to the USDA.

Listeriosis most commonly impacts people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women and their newborns. The infection can be fatal in older adults and those with weakened immune systems, the USDA said.

In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the baby.

Those in higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months of eating contaminated foods should seek medical care and tell their health care provider that they ate contaminated food, regulators said.

Those with questions about the recall can contact Julie Prentice, Manager of Phu Huong Food Company, at 626-236-0677.