Hawaii Firm Recalls Ready-To-Eat Pork Product for Possible Listeria Contamination

WASHINGTON, June 2, 2012 - Keoki's Lau Lau, a Honolulu, HI establishment, is recalling approximately 400 pounds of a ready-to-eat pork product due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

Recommendations for people at risk for Listeriosis

Wash hands with warm, soapy water before and after handling raw meat and poultry for at least 20 seconds. Wash cutting boards, dishes and utensils with hot, soapy water. Immediately clean spills.

Keep raw meat, fish and poultry away from other food that will not be cooked. Use separate cutting boards for raw meat, poultry and egg products and cooked foods.

Do not eat hot dogs, luncheon meats, bologna or other deli meats unless reheated until steaming hot.

Do not eat refrigerated paté, meat spreads from a meat counter or smoked seafood found in the refrigerated section of the store. Foods that don't need refrigeration, like canned tuna and canned salmon, are safe to eat. Refrigerate after opening.

Do not drink raw (unpasteurized) milk and do not eat foods that have unpasteurized milk in them.

Do not eat salads made in the store such as ham salad, chicken salad, egg salad, tuna salad or seafood salad.

Do not eat soft cheeses such as Feta, quesco blanco, quesco fresco, Brie, Camembert cheeses, blue-veined cheeses and Panela unless it is labeled as made with pasteurized milk.

Use precooked or ready-to-eat food as soon as you can. Listeria can grow in the refrigerator. The refrigerator should be 40° F or lower and the freezer 0° F or lower. Use an appliance thermometer to check the temperature of your refrigerator.

The following product is subject to recall:

• 12 oz. tubs of "Keoki's Kalua Brand Pork"
• 48 oz. tubs of "Keoki's Kalua Brand Pork"

The product bears the establishment number "EST. 12429" inside the USDA mark of inspection and batch numbers 546 and 552. The products were produced on May 24 and 25, 2012, and distributed to retail establishments in Hawaii.

The problem was discovered by the firm during follow-up testing conducted after a positive result from a FSIS routine monitoring sample. FSIS and the company have not received any reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of the products. Anyone concerned about a reaction should contact a healthcare provider.

Consumers seeking more information about this recall should contact Jamie Kema, Office Manager, at (808) 832-4231. Members of the media should contact Gary Ishimoto, President, at (808) 832-4224.