Two companies have issued a recall of approximately 1,513 pounds of ready-to-eat dry-cured pork jowl products due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination, the Food Safety and Inspection Service announced on Sept. 6.
Florida-based Prime Line Distributors Inc. and New Jersey-based Ferrarini USA are recalling four products, all manufactured in Italy on May 21 and imported to the United States in July. All four items carry lot code 263311US with a best-if-used-by date of May 16, 2027.
The recalled products are Prime Line Distributors’ Guanciale Pork Jowl Product of Italy, Prime Line Distributors’ Guanciale Pork Jowl Product of Italy in a second packaging variation, Ferrarini’s Guanciale Pork Jowl Product of Italy, and Ferrarini Guanciale Dry-Cured Pork Jowl.
Prime Line products were shipped to retail and food service locations in Florida. Ferrarini products were distributed to food service locations in California, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New York and Texas.
What Listeria monocytogenes is
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that can cause serious illness in people who consume contaminated food. The CDC identifies two forms of the illness. Intestinal listeriosis produces gastrointestinal symptoms. Invasive listeriosis, the more severe form, can cause fever, confusion, headache, seizures, loss of balance, flu-like symptoms and stiff neck. Symptoms of invasive illness typically begin within two weeks of consuming contaminated food.
People at highest risk for severe illness include pregnant women, newborns, older adults and people with weakened immune systems. Listeria can cause miscarriage, stillbirth and death in vulnerable populations.
What to do
Anyone who has purchased these products should not consume them and should discard or return them. The lot code 263311US and the May 2027 best-if-used-by date are the identifying markers.
The products were distributed to both retail and food service locations, which means consumers may have purchased the guanciale at a grocery store or a restaurant or food service establishment may have used it as an ingredient. Both retail purchasers and food service customers who believe they may have consumed the product should monitor for symptoms.
People who develop symptoms should contact a healthcare provider. Symptoms can occur up to 70 days after exposure in some cases, though the typical window is two weeks.
FSIS has not reported any confirmed illnesses associated with the recall as of the Sept. 6 announcement. Anyone with questions about the recall can contact FSIS. Consumers can also reach the FSIS Consumer Affairs line at 888-674-6854.
