FSIS Issues Public Health Alert For Sliced Deli Meat Products Due To Possible Listeria Contamination

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6, 2017 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert due to concerns that assorted sliced deli meat products served to customers at Dion’s restaurants may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The assorted sliced deli meats were produced by Peter DeFries Corporation, an Albuquerque, N.M. establishment.

The sliced roast beef, ham, pastrami, and turkey items were produced between Dec. 14, 2016 and Dec. 29, 2016, however product may have been available in restaurant locations through January 4, 2017.

These items were distributed to Dion’s restaurant locations in Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. The sliced deli meat products are used on pizzas, salads, and open-faced sandwiches for customers at Dion’s restaurants.

The problem was discovered through routine testing conducted as part of the Peter DeFries Corporation’s Listeria testing program. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a health care provider.

Consumption of food contaminated with L. monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns. Less commonly, persons outside these risk groups are affected.

Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract. In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn. In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections can occur in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics. Persons in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell the health care provider about eating the contaminated food.

Consumers who have purchased these products from Dion’s restaurants are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov or via smartphone at m.askkaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day. The online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/reportproblem