The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is announcing that Phu Huong Food Co., a Rosemead, Calif., establishment, is recalling approximately 602 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) beef and chicken meatball products that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The fully cooked RTE beef and chicken meatball items were produced on Oct. 2, 2023, and packaged on Oct. 3, 2023. The following products are subject to recall:

• 11-ounce vacuum-sealed packages containing “BÒ VIÊN PHÙ-HƯƠNG GÂN BEEF MEATBALLS (WITH BEEF TENDONS) (Chicken added / Cô Gá)” with lot codes 200101 through 200124 on a sticker on the back of the package.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 7681” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations in California.

The problem was discovered when FSIS performed routine product testing and the results identified Listeria monocytogenes in the product.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a health care 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 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 is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators or 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 here.

Media and consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact Julie Prentice, manager of Phu Huong Food Co., at 626-236-0677.

Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854), or send a question via email to MPHotline@usda.gov. For consumers who 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 here.

Source: USDA's FSIS