Tip Top chicken recalled due to listeria concern
Several fully cooked chicken products made at Rockmart’s Tip Top Poultry plant are being recalled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture due to the possibility they might be contaminated with listeria, according to a release from the federal agency last week.
Their release stated that several products, including four branded with the Tip Top label, along with four more labeled with Perdue, Gordon, Sysco and West Creek brands.
The frozen, diced, and mechanically separated ready to eat chicken was produced on January 21, 2019 and display “PACK DATE 01/21/19” on the labels, the release stated.
Four of the Tip Top labeled chicken products were 30 pounds bags of cooked chicken meat in a diced natural proportion, 30 pound bags of cooked chicken fines, 50 pound bags of mechanically separated chicken and 30 pound bags of IFQ pieces.
The recall also includes 10 pound bags of Perdue branded of 1/2 diced chicken, Gordon branded diced chicken meat in a 60 white meat, 40 dark package, Sysco Classic fully cooked diced chicken meat and West Creek fully cooked diced chicken meat in a 60 white meat, 40 dark package.
All total, some 135,810 pounds of meat are being recalled for possible contamination. The USDA stated a possible contamination incident was reported by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and notified the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service officials that a sample of chicken produced by Tip Top Poultry confirmed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes.
”Canadian public health and food safety partners, including the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, have been investigating an outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes,” the release reported. “A readyto-eat diced chicken product collected as part of the investigation tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. The investigation is ongoing.”
Most of the chicken produced on January 21 was shipped across the nation to hotels, restaurants and institutions. They include the number “number “P17453” inside the USDA mark of inspection or on the case,” the agency reported.
“FSIS is concerned that some product may be in institutional freezers,” the release stated. “Institutions who have purchased these products are urged not to serve them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.”
Those who consume food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes are susceptible to developing listeriosis, which can affect older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns.
Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms.
The Standard Journal reached out to officials from Tip Top for clarification on the recall, but due to scheduling issues were unable to return a phone call before press time. Additional information will be provided in the days to come.