FSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Ready-To-Eat Chili Cheese Wieners Due to Possible Listeria Contamination

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1, 2022 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert because Family Fare, a Chippewa Falls, Wisc. establishment, produced ready-to-eat chili cheese wieners that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes . A recall was not requested because it is believed that the products are no longer in commerce. The ready-to-eat chili cheese wieners were produced on Sept. 21, 2022. The following products are subject to the public health alert [ view labels ]: 15-oz. vacuum-packed packages containing “Our Local SMOKEHOUSE Chili Cheese flavored Wieners” with a use by date of January 19, 2023. The products bear establishment number “695SEWI” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to a Family Fare retail location in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, where three packages of the wieners were sold. The problem was discovered when the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture reported to FSIS that some product was found to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes during routine testing . There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. 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. FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. Media and consumers with questions regarding the public health alert can contact [email protected] . Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or live chat via Ask USDA from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Consumers can also browse food safety messages at Ask USDA or send a question via email to [email protected] . For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/ .