Tyson Recalls 8.5M Pounds of Chicken Due to Possible Listeria

One of the world’s largest protein companies, Springdale, Ark.-based Tyson Foods Inc., has voluntarily recalled approximately 8.5 million pounds of frozen fully cooked chicken due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. 

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, was notified on June 9 of two people ill with listeriosis, an infection caused by the harmful bacteria Listeria monocytogenes.  An investigation later identified three cases of the illness between April and June, including one person who had died from the infection. FSIS found evidence linking those cases to chicken produced by Tyson Foods.

The recalled items were produced at one Tyson plant in Dexter, Mo., between Dec. 26, 2020, and April 13, 2021, and distributed to foodservice and retail customers nationwide and in Puerto Rico. The recall includes Tyson branded frozen fully cooked products as well as private label products made for customers. Brands include Jet’s Pizza, Casey’s General Store, Marco’s Pizza and Little Caesars. Each package of the affected retail products has the establishment code P-7089. A list of product labels affected in the retail channel are available for download. 

Included in the recall are certain SKUs of Albertsons Cos.’s Signature Café Shredded Roasted Chicken. Tyson Foods supplied the shredded chicken used by Albertsons to produce these items. 

Sold in the deli department, Signature Café Shredded Roasted Chicken was available in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington D.C. from Albertsons' Safeway and Acme banners. It has a sell-thru date of July 7, 2021 and bears the PLU code 2 10288 00000. To date, there have not been any reports of Listeria-related illness associated with Signature Café Shredded Chicken.

Symptoms of listeriosis include fever, convulsions, muscle aches and gastrointestinal issues. For those with weakened immune systems, listeriosis can be fatal. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 1,600 people get listeriosis each year, and about 260 die. 

Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons operates 2,277 retail stores with 1,725 pharmacies, 400 associated fuel centers, 22 dedicated distribution centers and 20 manufacturing facilities. The company’s stores predominantly operate under the Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Pavilions, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Carrs, Jewel-Osco, Acme, Shaw’s, Star Market, United Supermarkets, Kings Food Markets and Haggen banners. Albertsons is No. 8 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2021 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.