Meat Recall Expands to Include More Than 2 Million Pounds of Product

An urgent meat recall announced earlier this month was expanded to include over 2.3 million pounds of product last week.The original recall by Alexander & Hornung of St. Clair Shores, Michigan covered over 230,000 pounds of meat product due to possible listeria contamination. The recall affects the company’s fully cooked ham and pepperoni products.

The initial recall was announced on Dec. 5 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. On Dec. 11, it was expanded to include 2,320,774 pounds of prepared ham and pepperoni products. The packages have “sell by” or “best buy” dates between December 2021 and March 2022. A full list of the products affected can be found by clicking here. The labels of the affected product can be seen here. Many of the products are marketed under the Wellshire, Butcher Boy, and Garrett Valley Farms brands. All of the products being recalled have the establishment number “EST. M10125” in the USDA mark of inspection. They were shipped to stores across the country.

Alexander & Hornung discovered the possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination when product sampling tested positive for the bacteria. The company then contacted FSIS. There were no confirmed reports of reactions linked to the consumption of the company’s meat products. Consumers with the meat in their refrigerators or freezers should throw the products away or return them to their place of purchase for a refund. Consumers should not eat the product.

Eating food contaminated with L. monocytogenes can lead to listeriosis, a very dangerous infection for older adults, people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women, and newborns, according to the FSIS. Listeriosis can cause “fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms,” according to the agency. The invasive infection can also spread beyond the gastrointestinal tract. For pregnant women, the infection can also cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery, or a life-threatening infection for the newborn.

“In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics,” the FSIS notes. “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.”

Alexander & Hornung launched a consumer hotline for further questions at 1-866-866-3703. The company also posted further details on its website, AlexanderHornung.com.