Hale and Hearty Soups, LLC Recalls Ready-To-Eat Chicken Chili Soup Due To Possible Listeria Contamination

WASHINGTON, Nov. 22, 2016 Hale and Hearty Soups, LLC, a Brooklyn, N.Y. establishment, is recalling approximately 455 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken chili soup product that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The ready-to-eat chicken chili soup product was produced and packaged on Nov. 9, 2016. The following products are subject to recall: [View Label (PDF Only)]

• 6.9-lb. bags containing CHICKEN CHILI SOUP with an Expires:12/09 date.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number P-34800 inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to food service distributors in Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Vermont.

The problem was discovered during routine FSIS verification testing. There have been no confirmed reports of illness or adverse health effects due to consumption of the products subject to this recall.

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 can occur 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 and the company are concerned that some of this recalled product may be in food service distribution 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.

Members of the media with questions regarding the recall can contact Marc Scheineson, Regulatory Counsel, at (202) 344-5848. Consumers with questions regarding this recall can contact Paul Schwartz, Vice President of Food Service, at (212) 255-2400 Ext. 2025.

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 4 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.