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Listeria Warning for Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

By Dan Flynn and Suzanna Schreck

Canadians are being warned not to eat ham and cheese sandwiches prepared by Atlantic Prepared Food Limited and distributed on Prince Edward Island and in Nova Scotia and possibly other Atlantic provinces.
The Nov. 16 warning by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Atlantic Prepared Food Limited (APFL) stems from concern that the food products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
APFL, the Prince Edward Island-based manufacturer, issued a product recall.
The affected ham and cheese sandwiches are in 185-gram packages bearing "Best Before 10 DE 06"; UPC 0 55742 98002 8 and a legend with an establishment number 514.
These products were sold in clear packages or in packages with a cardboard sleeve captioned "Sub Delicious."  The size, best-before date, UPC and establishment number appear on both types of packages and can assist consumers in identifying the affected products.
No illnesses have been associated with this public warning.
CFIA reminds consumers that food contaminated with Listeria may not look or smell bad or spoiled in any way.
Consumption of food contaminated with these bacteria may cause listeriosis, a foodborne illness. Listeriosis can cause high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea. Pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk. 
Infected pregnant women may experience only a mild, flu-like illness, however, infections during pregnancy can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth.
For more information consumers and industry can call the CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 / TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday).

Full post as published by Food Safety News on November 18, 2010 (boomark / email).