Ready-to-eat beef products recalled due to Listeria contamination

 Rio Tex Wholesale Meats, a Mercedes, Texas establishment, is recalling approximately 58,180 pounds of ready-to-eat beef products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes (Lm), the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The beef products were produced on various dates between March 25, 2014 and February 19, 2015. The following products are subject to recall: [View Labels (PDF Only)]

• 20-lb. boxes containing four 5-lb. packages of “Hausman Foods COOKED BEEF TACO FILLING.”
• 20-lb. boxes containing four 5-lb. packages of “Hausman Foods SEASONED COOKED BEEF BARBACOA.”
• 20-lb. boxes containing four 5-lb. packages of “Hausman Foods FULLY COOKED BARBACOA.”
•  20-lb. boxes containing four 5-lb. packages of “Hausman Foods BEEF CARNE GUISADA.”
• 15-lb. and 45-lb. boxes containing three 5-lb. or 15-lb. packages of “Rio-Tex-Meats BARBACOA.”

The products subject to recall bear the establishment number “EST. 13545” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These products were shipped for hotels, restaurants and institutional use  in Texas.

The problem was discovered when FSIS personnel reviewed historical sampling data in the context of recent intensified verification testing with multiple Listeria monocytogenes positives.  The historical sampling showed a recurrence of Lm isolates with indistinguishable Pulsed-field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns over a period of time within the establishment. The presence of isolates with indistinguishable PFGE patterns in environmental samples (including food contact and non-food contact surfaces) and on ready-to-eat meat products indicates that there are insufficient sanitary measures to prevent contamination of the production environment and the products with Lm.

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 and the company are concerned that some product may be frozen and in consumers' freezers.

FSIS advises all consumers to reheat ready-to-eat product until steaming hot.

Media and consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact Barney Trevino, Plant Manager, at (956) 565-1142.