Connoisseur’s Kitchen, a Surrey, British Columbia establishment, is recalling approximately 880 pounds of frozen ready-to-eat (RTE) chicken entree products that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Aug. 30, 2022.

The frozen RTE chicken entree items were produced on Aug. 3, 2022 and imported to the U.S. on Aug. 8, 2022. The following products are subject to recall (view labels): 

• 2-lb. box packages containing “SPICE MANTRA CHICKEN KORMA” with lot code 220803-406US.
• 2-lb. box packages containing “SPICE MANTRA BUTTER CHICKEN” with lot code 220803-400US.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “780” inside the Canadian mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations in Alaska and Washington.                                 

The problem was discovered when the Canadian Food Inspection Agency notified FSIS that the products are associated with a sample that tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes.

There have been no confirmed reports of illness or 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 is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ freezers. 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.

Media and consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact Puneet Bhalla, Director for Connoisseur’s Kitchens, at (604) 595-4862, ext. 25.

Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or live chat via Ask USDA from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Consumers can also browse food safety messages at Ask USDA or send a question via email to MPHotline@usda.gov. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/.

Source: USDA