Buona Vita Recalls Meat for Listeria Risk

Buona Vita, Inc. is recalling 72,510 lbs. of various frozen, ready-to-eat meat and poultry products because of possible listeria monocytogenes contamination.

The Contaminated Meat Recall

According to the USDA’s FSIS (Food Safety and Inspection Service), the frozen, ready-to-eat meat includes products such as Silver Lake, Buon Gusto, Mamma Cacciatore, Pisa Brand, Buono Vita’s, and Sapore Italiano. See USDA’s FSIS source page for an extensive list of possibly contaminated products. A third party discovered the problem through microbiological testing. The FSIS and the third party have not received any reports of incidents or injuries from this contamination so far.

About Listeria (Listeriosis)

Listeria primarily affects older adults, pregnant women, newborns, and adults with weakened immune systems. Symptoms of listeriosis include fever, muscle aches, sometimes preceded by diarrhea, or other gastrointestinal symptoms. Symptoms, however, differ with the person.

• Pregnant women: Pregnant women typically experience only a mild, flu-like illness. However, infections during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn.
• Persons other than pregnant women: Symptoms, in addition to fever and muscle aches, can include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions.

Treatment

Antibiotics are used to treat listeriosis. You should contact your physician if you have flu-like symptoms within two months of eating contaminated foods.

Prevention: People at Risk for Listeriosis

Wash hands thoroughly before and after handling raw meat and poultry products. Also, wash anything that has touched raw meat and poultry products thoroughly.

• Do not eat hot dogs, bologna, or other luncheon and deli meats that have not been reheated until steaming hot.
• Do not eat refrigerated paté, meat spreads from a meat counter or smoked seafood found in the refrigerated section of the store.
• Do not drink raw (unpasteurized) milk and do not eat foods that have unpasteurized milk in them.
• Do not eat soft cheeses unless made with pasteurized milk.
• Canned foods that do not require refrigeration are okay to eat.

Use precooked or ready-to-eat food as soon as you can, because Listeria can grow in your refrigerator. Your refrigerator should be below 40° F, and your freezer should be below 0° F. (Use an appliance thermometer to check the temperature of your refrigerator.)

Description of Recalled Meat

• All of the products were produced on June 26, 2012.
• The packages bear the establishment number “P-954” or “Est. 954” inside the USDA mark of inspection, and case code, “1782.”

Contact an Experienced Product Liability Attorney

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Your choice does matter. If you or a loved one has suffered serious injuries because of recalled foods or supplements, call Thomas J. Henry immediately. We are available 24/7, nights and weekends.