On May 25th the USDA-FSIS issued a public health alert for approximately 60 tons of frozen, fully-cooked, diced chicken product. Concern relates to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. Product was packed during late January and late March in 4-lb. plastic bags. Product was distributed by Big Daddy Foods Inc. of Houston, TX. The implicated chicken was delivered to local food banks in Florida and included in the USDA Farmer’s to Families Food Box program through April 8th.
Listeria was detected during routine FSIS quality inspection when it was noted that product required recooking and that the suspect food was subsequently repackaged without heat treatment. To date there have no reports of an adverse reaction or illness resulting in a warning and not a formal recall.