U.S. Prime Line Distributors Inc. and Ferrarini USA are recalling approximately 1,513 pounds of pork products due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.
The U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced on September 6th that the imported ready-to-eat dry-cured pork jowl products were produced in Italy on May 21st and arrived in the U.S. in July.
Based in Florida, Prime Line Distributors is recalling “Prime Line Distributors Inc. Italian Pork Jowl” and “Italian Pork Jowl” products. Ferrarini, headquartered in New Jersey, is recalling “Italian Pork Jowl” and “Ferrarini Italian Dry-Cured Pork Jowl” products.
All four products have the lot number 263311US and a shelf life until May 16, 2027. Prime Line’s products have been distributed to retail and food service establishments in Florida, while Ferrarini’s products have been distributed to food service establishments in California, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and Texas.
According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), consuming food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can lead to gastrointestinal or invasive diseases.
Symptoms of invasive disease include fever, confusion, headaches, seizures, loss of balance, flu-like symptoms, and stiff neck. These symptoms typically appear within two weeks of consuming contaminated food.
Symptoms of gastrointestinal disease usually appear within 24 hours of consuming contaminated food, including vomiting and diarrhea.
FSIS stated in its release that populations most affected by Listeria infection include individuals with weakened immune systems, pregnant women, infants, and the elderly.
“In pregnant women, this infection may result in miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection in newborns,” FSIS noted, adding that infection in the elderly and those with weakened immune systems can be life-threatening.
Individuals at high risk who develop flu-like symptoms within two months of consuming contaminated food are advised to consult a physician.
FSIS reported no illness linked to consuming the recalled products so far. The contamination was discovered during testing of a product sample.
The Epoch Times reached out to Prime Line Distributors and Ferrarini USA for comment but had not received a response at the time of publication.
Over the past year, the U.S. has seen multiple outbreaks of Listeria monocytogenes. According to a CDC alert issued on August 26th, a cheese-related outbreak in four states resulted in 15 infections, with 14 hospitalized and one death.
An earlier outbreak across 19 states led to 28 infections, with 27 hospitalized and seven deaths.
Data from the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion showed that from 2016 to 2018, there were 0.27 confirmed cases of domestically acquired Listeriosis per 100,000 people on average each year in the U.S. By 2024, this rate had risen to 0.36 cases per 100,000 people annually.