Table of contents
- Latest Carolina Pride Foods Ham Recall Updates
- July 5, 2011: FSIS Announces Ham Recall
- What Is Listeriosis?
- Which Carolina Pride Foods Ham Are Affected?
- Why Was Carolina Pride Foods Ham Recalled?
- Reported Incidents, Injuries, or Illnesses
- What Should Consumers Do?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Was the Recalled Carolina Pride Ham Sold Only at Retail Stores?
- Were There Any Illnesses Linked to the Carolina Pride Foods Ham Recall?
- What Are the Symptoms of Listeria Infection?
- Who Is Most at Risk from Listeria Infection?
- Does Refrigeration Kill Listeria Bacteria?
- Does FSIS Allow Any Listeria in Ready-to-Eat Meat?
- References
Carolina Pride Foods, Inc., of Greenwood, South Carolina, recalled three ham products in 2011. The company sells the items under its Carolina Pride and Hardee’s brand names. USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced the recall on July 5, 2011.
The recall covered about 18,416 pounds of boneless, fully cooked diced ham. FSIS said the ham might contain Listeria monocytogenes. The company found the possible contamination through its own outside lab testing before the announcement.
Anyone who bought the recalled ham should stop eating it and follow the steps below. FSIS has not closed, expanded, or reannounced this recall since the July 2011 announcement.
Recall at a glance
- Action type: Recall, initiated by the company
- Announcement and initiation dates: Announced July 5, 2011; produced May 13, 2011
- Company and responsible agency: Carolina Pride Foods, Inc. and USDA FSIS – FSIS recall notice
- Recall or campaign number: No recall or case number was assigned. The notice lists only an establishment number, EST. 242
- Affected models, lots, UPCs, serial numbers, or VINs: 3 SKUs: Smoked Diced Ham 10 oz (4218); Diced Ham 10-lb case/five 2-lb pkgs (3804); Hardee’s Smoked Diced Ham 12-lb case/8-oz pkgs (4181)
- Number of affected units: About 18,416 pounds
- Sold at and sale period: Retail and institutional outlets in six Southeastern states (AL, FL, GA, NC, SC, TN); sell-by/use-through Sept. 23-Nov. 9, 2011; price not stated
- Hazard: Possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes
- Reported incidents, injuries, illnesses, and deaths: None reported by FSIS or the company
- Remedy: Discard the ham or return it to the place of purchase
Latest Carolina Pride Foods Ham Recall Updates
July 5, 2011: FSIS Announces Ham Recall
Food Safety News and The Pig Site reported the July 5, 2011 announcement covering the ham products described above [1, 2]. The company had made the ham on May 13, 2011, seven weeks before the announcement. This is the only dated development FSIS has published for the recall described above so far, and no illnesses have surfaced anywhere the ham was sold.What Is Listeriosis?
Listeriosis is a serious infection people usually get from eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, according to the CDC [3]. The infection is most likely to sicken pregnant women and their newborns, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems, according to the CDC and FDA [4].Which Carolina Pride Foods Ham Are Affected?
The recall covers three ham products, sold under two brand names, each identified below by size and case code:- Carolina Pride Smoked Diced Ham, 10-ounce package, case code 4218, sell-by date Sept. 23, 2011, shipped to Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee
- Carolina Pride Diced Ham, 10-pound case of five 2-pound packages, case code 3804, shipped to North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia
- Hardee’s Smoked Diced Ham, 12-pound case of 8-ounce packages, case code 4181, use-through date Nov. 9, 2011, shipped to Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina
Why Was Carolina Pride Foods Ham Recalled?
Carolina Pride Foods, Inc. recalled the ham because its own outside laboratory testing found the products might contain Listeria monocytogenes. Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that can contaminate ready-to-eat meat during processing. FSIS reviewed the test results before confirming the recall described in the timeline above. The recall applied to the ham products listed above, sold under two brand names. FSIS said the products had reached stores in six Southeastern states. The lab results confirming the possible contamination came in only after the ham had already shipped. It reported no illnesses linked to the recall at the time of the announcement.Reported Incidents, Injuries, or Illnesses
FSIS and Carolina Pride Foods, Inc. reported no illnesses linked to this recall. Neither the agency nor the company received any consumer complaints of sickness connected to the recalled ham, according to WIS News 10 [5]. No deaths, hospitalizations, or confirmed Listeria infections have been tied to these products in any source or state reviewed for this page, including the states where the ham was shipped. The absence of reported illness does not prove the ham was safe to eat. It only means no report has reached FSIS or the company since 2011. A recall does not by itself mean a product caused any illness.Were you or a family member hurt by this product?
Schmidt & Clark offers a free, no-obligation review of possible foodborne-illness claims tied to recalled products. A review does not promise eligibility for compensation, a case, or any particular outcome – and no illnesses have ever been reported in connection with this 2011 recall.
Start My Free Case Review
What Should Consumers Do?
Anyone who has this ham at home should take the following steps:- Do not eat the recalled Carolina Pride or Hardee’s brand ham products.
- Check the package for case codes 4218, 3804, or 4181 near plant number EST. 242.
- Throw the ham away or return it to the store where it was purchased.
- Watch for symptoms of listeriosis. These include fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, and a stiff neck.
- Pregnant women who develop these symptoms should seek care right away, since the infection can also cause miscarriage or stillbirth.
- Call a doctor promptly if any of these symptoms appear after eating the ham.
- Contact Carolina Pride Foods, Inc. at (864) 229-5611 with questions about the recall.
- Contact USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET, or use the AskKaren.gov online tool.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was the Recalled Carolina Pride Ham Sold Only at Retail Stores?
No, the recalled ham was not sold only at retail stores. The recall notice also lists institutional outlets among the sellers, across the six affected states, and does not state a retail price for any of the three recalled products.Were There Any Illnesses Linked to the Carolina Pride Foods Ham Recall?
No illnesses have been linked to the Carolina Pride Foods Ham Recall, according to FSIS and company records. Listeria’s incubation period in pregnant women has a median of 27.5 days, much longer than the two-day median for bloodstream infections. A later illness might not trace back to this recall.What Are the Symptoms of Listeria Infection?
Signs of Listeria infection can include a sudden fever, an upset stomach, or a stiff neck, and can appear suddenly. Some people also become confused or lose their balance. In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, or a life-threatening infection in the newborn.Who Is Most at Risk from Listeria Infection?
Pregnant women, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems face the highest risk from Listeria infection. The FDA puts that risk at about 18 times higher for pregnant women and about 2.6 times higher for adults 60 and older than the general population.Does Refrigeration Kill Listeria Bacteria?
No, refrigeration alone does not kill Listeria bacteria. It can grow even at cold refrigerator temperatures, according to the FDA, so the recalled ham needs to be thrown away or returned rather than kept in the fridge as a way to make it safe.Does FSIS Allow Any Listeria in Ready-to-Eat Meat?
No, FSIS maintains a zero-tolerance policy for Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat meat and poultry products. Any positive test result can trigger a recall like this one, even when no illness has been reported, because the agency treats the bacterium as an automatic safety risk.References
- https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/07/18416-pounds-of-ham-with-listeria-risk-recalled/
- https://www.thepigsite.com/news/2011/07/products-recalled-for-possible-ilisteria-i-contamination
- https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/index.html
- https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/get-facts-about-listeria
- https://www.wistv.com/story/15030326/carolina-pride-ham-recalled-over-listeria-concerns/