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Fresh Creative Foods, "a division of Reser’s Fine Foods, Inc., Albertsons Companies," recalled "12 types of ReadyMeals and store-made deli items" on October 11th due to a possible bacterial contamination within the chicken.
According to the United States Food & Drug Administration, the contaminated chicken (as part of each ready-made deli meal) was inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service where it was discovered that the meat contained, "Listeria monocytogenes."
The FDA defined Listera as: "an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems." Symptoms of Listeria contamination include "high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea," and in more serious cases, miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.
The recalled products were sold across 23 states including Massachusetts.
Health officials are urging consumes who've previously purchased Fresh Creative Foods' ReadyMeals (featuring any of the 12 UPC codes listed on fda.gov) to throw the item out or return it to the place they purchased it to receive a refund.
Concerned individuals are invited to call "Albertsons Companies’ Customer Service Center at 1-877-723-3929 Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. PST."
For additional information and a full list of recalled ReadyMeals, visit fda.gov.