Tyson Recalls Nearly 8.5 Million Pounds of Chicken Due to Listeria Concerns

Tyson Foods is recalling nearly 8.5 million pounds of frozen, fully cooked chicken due to concerns over contamination, the company announced Saturday.

The press release continued:

Tyson has been working closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture on this recall, and while there is no conclusive evidence that the products were contaminated at the time of shipment, the voluntary recall is being initiated out of an abundance of caution.

The affected products were produced at one plant located in Dexter, Missouri, between December 26 of 2020 and April 13 of 2021 and distributed to foodservice and retail customers nationwide and Puerto Rico. They are being recalled as a precaution due to possible exposure to Listeria monocytogenes, a harmful bacteria.

In a post on its Twitter page, Tyson Food said the voluntary recall did not include chicken nuggets or fresh products:

“We’re committed to providing safe, healthy food that people rely on every day,” Scott Brooks, senior vice president, food safety and quality assurance, stated. “We are taking this precautionary step out of an abundance of caution and in keeping with our commitment to safety.”

The recall included Tyson’s frozen, fully cooked products and private label products for customers.

“These products were sold to foodservice and retail customers and distributed nationwide. Each package of the affected retail products has the establishment code P-7089,” the press release said.

In June, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) was notified of two people sick with listeriosis, the agency said in a news release:

Working in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state public health partners, FSIS determined there is evidence linking the Listeria monocytogenes illnesses to precooked chicken produced at Tyson Foods Inc. The epidemiologic investigation identified three listeriosis illnesses, including one death, between April 6, 2021 and June 5, 2021. During routine sample collection, FSIS collected two precooked chicken samples from two establishments that are closely related genetically to Listeria monocytogenes from ill people. One of the samples was collected at Tyson Foods Inc.

According to the CDC, people should seek medical care if they have a fever and additional symptoms of possible listeriosis, such as fatigue and muscle aches in the two months after consuming the possibly contaminated food.