Meatball company recalls 300,000 pounds of meat over listeria risk -By Lily Kuo
(Reuters) - A New Jersey meatball manufacturer is recalling more than 300,000 pounds (136,000 kg) of meat products due to possible listeria contamination, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service said on Saturday.
Bridgeton, New Jersey-based Buona Vita Inc was recalling about 324,770 pounds of frozen, ready-to-eat meat and poultry products produced in May, including meatballs, chicken and beef patties, and loafs of chicken and beef, the agency said in a written statement.
The FSIS described the health risk related to the recall as "high," according to the statement.
Representatives for Buona Vita, which says on its website that it produces 200,000 pounds (90,000 kg) of meatballs a day, could not immediately be reached for comment.
The possible contamination was discovered through testing by FSIS and the Ohio Department of Agriculture, the FSIS statement said. There have been no reports of illness related to the company's products, it added.
Listeria bacteria thrive in low temperatures. Outbreaks are usually associated with deli meats, unpasteurized cheeses and smoked refrigerated seafood products. Listeriosis has a long incubation period, with symptoms sometimes not showing up until two months after people consume tainted foods. Symptoms include fever and muscle aches, sometimes preceded by diarrhea and other gastric problems.
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012
200,000 pounds of meatballs a day??? How lazy are we? And STOP with the "I don't have time, frozen is more convenient" crap. I don't buy it. LOOK at what happens when we rely on our conveniences. We get Listeria outbreaks. Was it worth it? Was the 30 minutes every few weeks you saved worth it? NOPE.
These problems go away when we grow our own food, make our own food, buy locally, and cook once in a damn while. Make your own meatballs, people.
People don't want to cook anymore. At least not many. Look at all the single portioned crap that goes to the landfill every day. Cooking is easy. If you don't know how. Learn!
ReplyDeleteI've bought vegetarian "meatballs" before but prefer to make the real thing myself. Will buy sausages on occasion and that is pretty much the same thing as a meatball. I only only from specific places or companies.
ReplyDeleteHad never heard of this company before your post. Do you know what brands they sell under?
I've never understood why people buy pre-made meatballs. It doesn't take that long to make them and they always taste better when you make them yourself. I don't even know that it's really a question of convenience anymore; people have just gotten lazier.
ReplyDeleteYep, time to get the 'SYSTEM' out of our systems.
ReplyDeletethe listeria could have been in the ground meat i.e. the contamination may or may not have been to the 'extra processing' to make the meatballs.
ReplyDeleteany ground meat may have come from 1000s of cows...with many people and machines...all of which could contaminate the process at any time.
we need better systems for feeding ourselves. systems that are based on caring for all involved, and not just caring for profit.
Not only do we need to start making our food at home, but for us we buy most of our food locally. My son's FIL even has his own cows and sells the meat to friends and families. Knowing where you food comes from is the key to eating better. Like you I have made everything from scratch most of my life.
ReplyDelete