The Tyson recall expanded again this week is being updated to alert consumers that the recalled ready-to-eat products were used in additional products produced by other establishments and retailers.

Some products bear a different establishment number on the label because of further processing and some products may have been served from the deli counter in retail stores.

Labels for some of the recalled products made with the recalled chicken are available here. Federal officials are encouraging consumers to check the FSIS website frequently while the agency continues to updat the recall posting and/or the labels if it becomes aware of additional products that used the recalled chicken. An updat on July 8 expanded the Tyson recall to reflect additional date codes and an increase in product poundage from 8,492,832 pounds to 8,955,296 pounds.The recalled product names and product codes remain the same. While the products were distributed to schools, it resulted from a commercial sale and was not part of food provided by the USDA for the National School Lunch Program.Tyson Foods Inc., a Dexter, MO, establishment, recalled the 8.9 million pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) chicken products in relation to an outbreak of Listeria infections. The recalled chicken products may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced. The frozen, fully cooked chicken products were produced between Dec. 26, 2020, and April 13, 2021. The products that are subject to recall are listed here. Some of the products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. P-7089” on the product bag or inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped nationwide to retailers and institutions, including hospitals, nursing facilities, restaurants, schools, and Department of Defense locations.

On June 9, the FSIS was notified of two people ill with listeriosis. Working in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state public health partners, FSIS determined there is evidence linking the Listeria monocytogenes illnesses to pre-cooked chicken produced at Tyson Foods Inc.

The epidemiologic investigation so far has identified three listeriosis patients, including one who died, between April 6, 2021, and June 5, 2021. During routine sample collection, FSIS collected two precooked chicken samples from two establishments. Listeria found in the samples are closely related genetically to Listeria monocytogenes from ill people. One of the samples was collected at Tyson Foods Inc. The FSIS is continuing to work with federal and state public health partners to determine if there are additional illnesses linked to these products.

Additional information on the investigation may be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

FSIS is concerned that some products may be in consumer and institutional freezers. Consumers should not eat these products. Institutions should not serve these products. 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.

Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or live chat via Ask USDA from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday.

about Listeria infections
Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look or smell spoiled but can still cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections. Anyone who has eaten any recalled product and developed symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical treatment and tell their doctors about the possible Listeria exposure.

Also, anyone who has eaten any of the recalled products should monitor themselves for symptoms during the coming weeks because it can take up to 70 days after exposure to Listeria for symptoms of listeriosis to develop.

Symptoms of Listeria infection can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness. Specific laboratory tests are required to diagnose Listeria infections, which can mimic other illnesses.

Pregnant women, the elderly, young children, and people such as cancer patients who have weakened immune systems are particularly at risk of serious illnesses, life-threatening infections, and other complications. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, their infections can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth.