Smoked Beef & Pork Pepper Stick recalled

Robber’s Roost Jerky, an Ellensburg, Wash., establishment, is recalling approximately 4 pounds of ready-to-eat smoked beef and pork pepper stick jerky product that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The fully cooked beef and pork pepper stick jerky product was produced on March 24, 2015. The following product is subject to recall:      

• 6” individual Cryovac sticks of “Smoked Beef & Pork Pepper Stick” with package code 032420150004.  

The product subject to recall bears the establishment number “EST. 19962M” inside the USDA mark of inspection. This product was shipped to local retail outlets in Washington.                                 

The problem was discovered by the company after a sample from the cutting board used in preparation of the product returned a positive test result for Listeria monocytogenes. FSIS and the company have received no reports of illness due to consumption of this product.

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

Media and consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact Mitch Truax, Operations Manager, at (509) 933-2211.