http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/aponline/20010413/aponline022705_000.htm

14.5M Pounds of Meat Recalled The Associated Press

Friday, April 13, 2001; 2:27 a.m. EDT

CLINTON, Okla. –– A meat plant is recalling 14.5 million pounds of meat and poultry products that may be contaminated, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said.

Bar-S Foods Co. voluntarily recalled the meat, which may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service said Thursday. Recalled products include lunch meats, whole hams, sausages, hot dogs and corn dogs.

Brand names for the recalled products are: Bar-S, Bar-S Extra Lean, Coronado, Chuck Wagon, E-Z Carve and Thrifty.

The bacteria, which sometimes causes infections in pregnant women, newborns and elderly people, was detected in a sample of sliced ham taken from the plant March 19.

The plant was closed last week as the company tried to rid it of the bacteria. Plant officials were not available for comment early Friday morning, a plant worker said.

"Because of the potential for foodborne illness, we urge consumers to check out their refrigerators and freezers to see if they have purchased any of these products," FSIS administrator Thomas J. Billy said.

Billy said any recalled products should be returned to where they were bought.

The products were sent to retail stores, delis and other outlets in the United States, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the South Pacific, the USDA said.

The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta said Listeria monocytogenes can cause an infection called listeriosis, which is one of the rarest food-borne diseases but one of the most serious.

Although rarely contracted by healthy people, listeriosis can cause high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea, the USDA said. It can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths, the agency said.

-- (Listeri@mono.cytogenes), April 13, 2001