Manda Meat Recall Expanded to 13 States, 500,000 Pounds of Meat Involved

By Myles Collier, Christian Post Contributor Monday, April 15, 2013

A Louisiana-based meatpacking company expanded a recall of meat products over concerns that some of their products could have been exposed to bacterial contamination.

The United States Department of Agriculture revealed that the Manda Packing Company recall involves more than 468,000 pounds of roast beef, ham, turkey breast, tasso pork, ham shanks, hog headcheese, corned beef, and pastrami. Those products were recalled due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

The meat products in question were distributed to retailers in 13 states including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.

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There were eight items highlighted by the USDA that posed the greatest challenge to locate, as those products could be found listed under 40 different names each with different "sell by" dates. Officials also indicated that some of the meat products could have already been sold at local delicatessens and would therefore not have specific labeling.

The recalled meats were produced at Manda's facility in Baker, La. between Feb. 27 and April 9, according to a statement posted Saturday on company's website.

The USDA explained that consuming products that were contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a potentially deadly disease, and urged anyone who consumed the products in question to see a doctor as soon as possible.

"We are committed to work with USDA in reviewing and enhancing our food safety system so we can continue to ensure that our products are safe, wholesome and worthy of our brand name," Josh Yarborough, director of quality assurance for Manda, said in Saturday's statement.

"Healthy people rarely contract listeriosis," the statement added, but doctors revealed that the disease can be serious and sometimes fatal for those with weakened immune systems. It is also known to be a cause for miscarriages and stillbirths.