An infant was killed and at least 10 others were sickened by an outbreak of listeria food poisoning connected to ready-to-eat meat and poultry products, health officials announced Friday.
Yu Shang Food, Inc., of South Carolina, recalled more than 72,000 pounds of meat and poultry products tied to the outbreak, according to the US Agriculture Department.
The massive recall expands upon the roughly 4,600 pounds of food it recalled earlier this month.
An infant has died and at least 10 other people have been sickened in an outbreak of listeria food poisoning. AP
Yu Shang Food, Inc. has recalled more than 72,000 pounds of meat and poultry products. APThe tainted foods — which include chicken feet, duck neck, beef shank and pork hock — were shipped to retailers nationwide and were available for online purchase.
The infant who was killed was a twin whose sibling also died, but whose death could not be linked to listeria. Their pregnant mother was also sick, but recovered, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
“Listeria was found in a sample from the mother and from one of the twin infants, but it could not be found in a sample from the other infant,” the CDC said Friday.
“Because of this, only the mother and one twin are included as confirmed cases in this outbreak.”
The foods were shipped to retail locations nationwide and available online, and illnesses have been reported in four states. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
The problem was discovered in October after routine tests detected listeria in the foods and the production environment. U.S. Consumer Product Safety CommissionAnother infant who recovered from listeria was included in the 10 confirmed cases, nine of whom have been hospitalized.
The outbreak was linked to New York, New Jersey and Illinois, though the majority of the cases were in California, including the tot who died.
All 11 cases identified themselves as having Asian heritage, according to the CDC.
Officials said the products should be discarded or returned to the place of purchase. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Those most vulnerable to getting sick include the very young, people older than 65, and those with weakened immune systems or who are pregnant, according to officials. U.S. Consumer Product Safety CommissionThe problem was first discovered in October after routine tests detected listeria in the foods and the production environment, leading to the first round of recalls on Nov. 9.
Listeria positioning can cause mild symptoms, including fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. More serious illnesses can include headaches, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions.
The bacteria has also swept through Boar’s Head products — 10 people were killed and 61 were sickened in 19 states after eating contaminated products this summer.
