We know you’ve been looking for an excuse to order takeout this weekend and now you might have one. Prolific poultry distributor Tip Top Poultry has had to issue a recall that includes products that reached both Target and Trader Joe’s shelves. This recall specifically affects ready-to-eat chicken products.
Late last month, Tip Top recalled a long list of ready-to-eat products out of concern they might be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes. This means that frozen cooked, diced, and shredded chicken are the focus of the recall, so any frozen and raw chicken breasts or drumsticks you might’ve abandoned in your freezer should still be good to eat.
The USDA put together a full list of the recalled items (with helpful images of the labels) that you should browse and cross-check with the items in your fridge to avoid contamination. From Trader Joe’s, the chicken pot pie, the Field Fresh Chopped Salad with Chicken, Pesto Chicken Wrap, and the White Meat Chicken Salad, among others, might have to be tossed. Nutrisystem diet meals might also be affected. To be extra sure, check the item’s establishment number (found inside the USDA mark of inspection), and if it says “Est. P-17453,” toss it.
There haven’t been reports of people experiencing symptoms, but eating food with listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that can particularly harm the elderly, pregnant, as well as newborns and others with compromised immune systems. Symptoms include a flu-like series of headaches, muscle aches, and a stiff neck, often followed by diarrhea and stomach pain. Listeriosis needs to be treated with the right antibiotics, so if you’re experiencing any symptoms the USDA advises you seek medical attention.