The Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is warning the public about a certain Trader Joe’s ready-to-eat turkey wrap product due to concerns that it may be contaminated with bacteria.
The Trader Joe’s Turkey Gobbler Wrap in 10-ounce clear plastic clamshell packages was produced on Sept. 10 and shipped to Trader Joe’s retail locations nationwide.
The product has a “best by” date of Sept. 16. The agency said there is no recall in effect because the product is no longer available for purchase. Instead, the agency is issuing a “public health alert.” FSIS issues these alerts to warn the public about potential risks linked to meat, poultry and egg products when no recall is in effect but a health concern remains.
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The company notified FSIS that food contact surface samples associated with this product tested positive for listeria monocytogenes, which prompted the health alert.
Trader Joe’s also issued a notice for customers to either throw out or return the product to their local store for a full refund.
“We have a close relationship with our vendors. We err on the side of caution and are proactive in addressing issues. We voluntarily take action quickly, aggressively investigating potential problems and removing the product from sale if there is any doubt about its safety or quality,” Trader Joe’s told FOX Business.
Trader Joe’s and FSIS noted that there have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of this product to date.
While the best by date has passed, the agency is still concerned that some of the product may be in consumers’ refrigerators.
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Listeria monocytogenes is generally transmitted when food is either being harvested, processed, prepared, packed, transported or stored in manufacturing or production environments contaminated with the bacteria, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
If people consume food contaminated with listeria monocytogenes, it can cause listeriosis, which can cause a variety of symptoms depending on the severity of the case.
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The less severe form, called non-invasive gastrointestinal listeriosis, can lead to mild symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea may occur, and often persists for one to three days, according to the FDA. Healthy individuals may only suffer from mild symptoms.
The more severe form is called invasive listeriosis and occurs when the listeria spreads beyond the intestines, the FDA said. It can lead to headaches, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions. It can be potentially life-threatening for newborns, adults over the age of 65 and those with weakened immune systems, the FDA said.
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