Jewel-Osco, a supermarket chain with stores in Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa, has issued a recall for several deli food items over concerns of potential listeria contamination. The recall action is initiated in response to findings from supplier Reser's Fine Foods that breadcrumbs used in their tuna salad might be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes—an organism that can lead to severe infections. NBC Chicago reports that the products in question were sold not just as bulk tuna salad but also in ready-to-eat forms such as club sandwiches, croissants, and with crackers, between the sell dates of July 16 and July 19.
Although no cases of illness have yet been reported, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) emphasized the seriousness of a Listeria infection and articulated that Jewel-Osco customers should not consume the recalled products. Those at the highest risk include young children, older adults, those with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women, who could face miscarriages or stillbirths. Fox 32 Chicago outlines that consumers who have purchased these items can return them to the store for a full refund or dispose of them safely.
In light of the recall, the FDA has stressed the importance of thorough cleaning and sanitizing, as Listeria can survive refrigerated temperatures and spread to other foods and surfaces. They have specified that the listeria bacterium can be killed by heating foods to "steaming hot," or 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This proactive advisory indicates the agency's commitment to preventing an outbreak similar to last year's, when a listeria incident involving Boar's Head deli meats resulted in multiple fatalities and hospitalizations, as per the FDA release.
For further information on the recall, including a comprehensive list of impacted products, consumers are encouraged to visit the provided link or reach out directly to Albertsons Companies’ Customer Service Center. Queries will be handled from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. CST, Monday through Friday, at 1-877-723-3929, as noted by Fox 32 Chicago. The CDC underscores that Listeria infection is among the leading causes of death from foodborne illnesses in the U.S., making such recalls and the subsequent consumer actions critical in mitigating risk.
