Two U.S. companies are recalling more than 1,500 pounds of imported Italian guanciale after a routine inspection at the port of entry turned up listeria monocytogenes in the ready-to-eat pork jowl. Fort Lauderdale-based Prime Line Distributors and Hoboken, New Jersey-based Ferrarini USA both pulled their shipments after samples tested positive, with products shipped to food-service, retail or distributor locations in eight states.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced the recall on Sunday, September 6, 2026, according to the Food Safety and Inspection Service. The Miami Herald reported that the two companies together recalled 1,513 pounds of the dry-cured pork after a sample tested positive for listeria monocytogenes.
Guanciale is a traditional Italian dry-cured pork jowl, seasoned with salt and spices and prized as a staple ingredient in classic Roman pasta dishes like carbonara and amatriciana, according to The Curesmith. Because it is eaten cold and ready-to-eat, any contamination poses a direct ingestion hazard rather than one that cooking would neutralize.
How Federal Inspectors Caught the Contamination
The tainted batch was flagged during routine port-of-entry re-inspection testing, a program built to sample imported meat shipments frequently enough to give inspectors 95 percent confidence that safety hazards get identified before the product enters U.S. commerce, per the Food Poison Journal. That system exists because foreign meat plants operate under a U.S. regulatory equivalence framework in which federal inspectors do not staff overseas production lines directly. Instead, the system relies on port re-inspection testing as the primary physical defense once product reaches American shores, the same outlet notes. According to the Food Safety and Inspection Service, all shipments of meat, poultry, or egg products must be reinspected at an official import inspection establishment before entering U.S. commerce. The Food Safety and Inspection Service says imported meat or poultry products that do not meet U.S. requirements are stamped "U.S. Refused Entry" and must be exported within 45 days.
In this case, the guanciale was produced in Italy's Trentino region by Bomè S.r.l. on May 21, 2026, per the seed reporting. Recalled packages carry the Italian mark of inspection reading establishment number IT 1937 L CE, along with lot number 263311US and a best-by date of 05.16.27.
Where the Recalled Pork Was Sold
Prime Line Distributors, headquartered near Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, distributed its share of the recalled pork exclusively to food service businesses and retail stores within Florida. The company imported products including Prime Line Distributors, Inc. Guanciale Pork Jowl Product of Italy and Dok Guanciale.
Ferrarini USA's reach was far broader. The Hoboken company shipped its Ferrarini Guanciale Dry-Cured Pork Jowl to distributors and food service accounts across eight states: Florida, California, Texas, Illinois, Idaho, Michigan, New Jersey, and New York, according to the Miami Herald's reporting, which the Daily Voice also detailed in its own account of the recall's geographic spread.
Why Listeria Is Especially Dangerous in Cured Meat
Unlike most common foodborne pathogens, listeria monocytogenes can actively survive and multiply at standard refrigerator temperatures, which means vacuum-sealed, ready-to-eat meats like guanciale can grow increasingly contaminated the longer they sit in a walk-in cooler or home fridge, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. That risk is compounded by the bacteria's unusually long incubation period. Listeria infections typically surface one to four weeks after exposure but can take as long as 70 days to appear, per the CDC, meaning health officials may need to monitor for potential cases well into the winter.
Most people who contract listeriosis experience flu-like symptoms including high fever and headaches, per the recall notice cited by the Miami Herald. The CDC reports that listeria affects about 1,250 people in the United States each year and kills 172 of them. Pregnant women face particular danger, as the infection is linked to stillbirths and miscarriages.
Federal officials confirmed that as of the recall notice, no illnesses or adverse reactions had been officially linked to the recalled guanciale, according to Food Safety News. That distinguishes this recall from cases where illnesses prompt the investigation; here, import testing intercepted the contaminated batch before it was tied to any confirmed consumer harm.
What Consumers and Restaurants Should Do
Consumers and food service businesses holding the recalled guanciale should return the products for a refund rather than consume or serve them. Anyone with questions about Prime Line Distributors product can contact company representative Liliana Rojas at 954-925-4500 or [email protected]. Questions about Ferrarini USA product can go to Luca Infantino at 818-256-1622 or [email protected].
This recall lands amid recent meat and dairy alerts. The recalled guanciale is a ready-to-eat, vacuum-sealed meat product.
