Taylor Farms Northwest Recalls Pork Carnitas Bowl Products due to Possible Salmonella and Listeria Monocytogenes Contamination

Thursday, October 18, 2018

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17, 2018 – Taylor Farms Northwest LLC, a Kent, Wash. establishment, is recalling approximately 276 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) pork carnitas bowl products that contain tomatillos that may be adulterated with Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The RTE pork carnitas bowls were produced between O¬ct. 10-14, 2018. The following products are subject to recall: [View Labels (PDF only)]
 

  • 11-oz. clear plastic wrapped bowls of “PORK CARNITAS BOWL” packages with a sell by dates of 10/15/18 through 10/19/18.


The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 34834” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations in Oregon and Washington.

The problem was discovered on October 15, 2018 when Taylor Farms Northwest received notification that fire-roasted diced tomatillos used in the production of their pork carnitas bowls was being recalled by their tomatillos supplier due to Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella concerns. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.

Consumption of food contaminated with Salmonella can cause salmonellosis, one of the most common bacterial foodborne illnesses. The most common symptoms of salmonellosis are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating the contaminated product. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days. Most people recover without treatment. In some persons, however, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized.

Consumption of food contaminated with L. monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns. Less commonly, persons outside these risk groups are affected.

Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract. In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn. In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics. Persons in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell the health care provider about eating the contaminated food.

FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.

Media and consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact the Taylor Farms Northwest consumer and media hotline at (855) 455-0098. Media with questions about the recall may also contact the company at press@taylorfarms.com.

Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov or via smartphone at m.askkaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day. The online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/reportproblem.