Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation, a Mount Pleasant, Texas, establishment, is expanding its recall of ready-to-eat chicken products by an additional 7,072 pounds, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The products may be contaminated withListeria monocytogenes. The initial recall was issued on July 20, 2011.

"Food safety is our top priority and we take product recalls very seriously," said Kendra Waldbusser, senior vice president of food safety and quality assurance.  "Over the past week we have been conducting a detailed review of our quality assurance processes, work systems and plant-level controls.  During that internal examination, we identified a potential issue involving this product.  As a precaution to our customers and consumers, we have expanded the recall to this Pilgrim's brand product.  We have identified the source of the potential contamination and have taken corrective action.  At the same time, we are implementing best practices that include improved product testing at our plants.  We are confident that these measures will help ensure the continued quality and safety of our products."

The following products are subject to recall include 16-pound boxes containing eight 2-pound bags of "Pilgrim’s Pride Fully Cooked Chicken Breast Breaded Nugget Shaped Patties with Rib meat"

The Chicken Breast Nugget Shaped Patties have a date code of 11531010 inkjetted on the box, best-by date "JUN 02 2012" and bear the establishment number "P-7091A" inside the USDA mark of inspection. Each 2-lb. bag is marked with the date code and "P-7091A." The products were produced on June 2, 2011, and shipped to a retail chain in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

The problem was discovered as a result of on-site internal testing at each establishment. FSIS and the company have received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of these products.

Source: FSIS, Pilgrim’s Pride Corp.