May 3, 2008 7:00 pm US/Pacific
NYC Company Recalls Over 286,000 Pounds Of Meat
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
A food company located in the Queens borough of New York City is recalling more than 286,000 pounds of meat and poultry because it might be contaminated with the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes, CBS station WCBS-TV in New York reports.
The voluntary recall includes several different brands of fresh and frozen products made by Gourmet Boutique of the Jamaica section of Queens, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Saturday.
They include some types of chicken salad and sandwiches sold under the name Gourmet Boutique, and several frozen wraps and burritos sold under the names "Jan's" and "Archer Farms," among other brands.
The problem was discovered through sampling by federal food safety inspectors and Florida agriculture officials, the USDA said.
There have been no reports of illnesses associated with the recalled foods so far, but the bacteria can potentially cause Listeriosis, an illness that can give people a high fever, headache and nausea. People with depressed immune systems could also suffer a fatal infection.
Gourmet Boutique said in a recorded phone message that it had made "environmental changes" at its plants to prevent a repeat of the problem. "We are confident of the safety and quality of our products," the recording said.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
