Albertsons recalls products for possible Listeria outbreak

Albertsons Companies has issued a recall for some of its private label meal solutions and store-made deli items.

Following a recall initiated by Fresh Creative Foods, a division of Reser’s Fine Foods, Inc., the grocer has voluntarily recalled 12 types of ReadyMeals and store-made deli items, due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The products contain a recalled ready-to-eat chicken ingredient supplied by BrucePac of Durant, Okla., which was found to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes during routine tests by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

Albertsons shoppers who have purchased these items are urged not to consume these products and to dispose of them or return the items to their local store for a full refund. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.

The ReadyMeals and store-made deli items were available for purchase at the following stores: Albertsons, Carrs-Safeway, Eagle, Jewel-Osco, Pavilions, Randalls, Safeway, Shaw's, Star Market, Tom Thumb and Vons. These stores are located in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wyoming.