JR Burgers frozen chicken and beef patties recalled for listeria & salmonella contamination

The Government Analyst – Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD) has issued an alert to consumers that frozen JR Chicken Burger Patties are being recalled due to contamination with Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. The product is produced by JR Original Burgers and sold in supermarkets countrywide.

The GA-FDD will post supermarket locations on its website, gafdd.gy in the interest of consumers. To date there are no reports of illness associated with the consumption of this product.

However, based on the circumstances surrounding the investigation, it was noted that all batches of the product inclusive of the JR Beef Burger Patties are subject to the recall. The table below provides details of the implicated batches and pathogens detected.

Although the GA-FDD has seized all batches of the products in supermarkets, the department is concerned that these products may be in consumers’ freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged to not consume them. These products should be discarded or returned to the place of purchase.

Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria can cause Listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns. Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhoea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. 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.

Symptoms of Listeriosis usually start one to four weeks after eating food contaminated with Listeria but can also start as late as 10 weeks after exposure. Persons in the higher risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and inform the health care provider about consuming the contaminated food.

Salmonella contamination in food may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick (Salmonellosis). Young children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems may contract serious and sometimes deadly infections. Healthy people may experience short-term symptoms such as fever, headache, vomiting, nausea, abdominal cramps and diarrhoea. Long-term complications may include severe arthritis.

As a precaution, all consumers should safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume ground beef/chicken that has been cooked to a temperature of 71⁰C. The only way to confirm that ground meat is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature.

If you have questions about the recall, call GA-FDD on 222-8859/60 or 222-8934 for further information.