CTI Foods LLC Recalls Ready-To-Eat Philly Steak Products Due to Possible Listeria Contamination

WASHINGTON, Sept. 11, 2018 CTI Foods LLC, an Owingsville, Ky., establishment, is recalling approximately 6,720 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) Philly Beef Steak products that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The RTE Philly Beef Steak products were produced on Aug. 9, 2018. The following products are subject to recall: [View Labels (PDF only)]

• 672 cardboard cases labeled Classic Sysco having a NET WT of 10 lbs. The cardboard cases contain four 2.5 lb. bags of product. Both the box and the bags are labeled FULLY COOKED PHILLY BEEF STEAK SLICED Caramel Color Added with a package code of 4887097.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number EST. 19085 inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to a food service warehouse in Hamilton, Ohio and were further distributed to food service locations.

The problem was discovered on Sept. 7, 2018, when the establishment received results from their laboratory that four finished product samples from their Aug. 9, 2018 production were potentially positive for Listeria monocytogenes.

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 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 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.

Media and consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact John Spiller, media contact for CTI Foods LLC, at (817) 869-1153.

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.