BANGOR, Maine — A Pennsylvania food processor is recalling approximately 20,232 pounds of gluten-free breaded chicken nugget product that tested positive for staphylococcal enterotoxin, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced Wednesday.
Made by Murry’s, Inc. of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, the product being recalled is the company’s Bell & Evans Gluten Free Breaded Chicken Breast Nuggets with a “Best By” date of March 25, 2016, the inspection service said.
The product, bearing establishment number “P-516” inside the USDA mark of inspection, was shipped to an establishment for distribution nationwide.
The problem was discovered by the Colorado Department of Agriculture during a routine retail surveillance and sampling program, which is funded by the USDA at a Federal Emergency Response Network lab. After being notified of the positive test result, the inspection service conducted traceback activities.
“Food safety is a core value for Murry’s. We value the trust our customers place in the products we produce for them,” Murry’s, Inc. President Ira Mendelson said in a statement on the company’s website.
“We will conduct a full internal investigation in response to Colorado’s findings and take every action possible to prevent this problem from happening again.”
The inspection service and the company have received no reports of adverse reactions from consumption of the affected product. Anyone concerned about a reaction should contact a healthcare provider.
Staphylococcal food poisoning is a gastrointestinal illness. It is caused by eating foods contaminated with toxin-producing staphylococcus aureus, a common bacterium found on the skin and in the noses of healthy people and animals. Staphylococcus aureus can produce seven different toxins that are often responsible for food poisoning.
Staphylococcal enterotoxins are fast acting, sometimes causing illness in as little as 30 minutes. Thoroughly cooking the product does not prevent illness and symptoms usually develop within one to six hours after eating contaminated food.
Patients typically experience several of the following: nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea. The illness is usually mild and most patients recover after one to three days.
To prevent staphylococcal contamination, keep kitchens and food-serving areas clean and sanitized. Keep hot foods hot at over 140 degrees and cold foods cold at 40 degrees or lower.
Make sure to wash hands and under fingernails vigorously with soap and water before handling and preparing food. Do not prepare food if you have an open sore or wound on your hands or if you have a nose or eye infection.
The inspection service routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and take steps to make sure that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list will be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.
For more information about the recall, consumers can contact Murry’s Customer Service at (800) 638-0215.