The Recall Desk
Agency classClass IOur severity:CriticalUSDA FSIS·039-2017·Announced 2017-04-25

Fineberg Packing Recalls Ready-to-Eat Ham Products Due to Listeria Risk

Fineberg Packing Co. is recalling approximately 8,822 pounds of ready-to-eat ham products in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

The agency’s classification

USDA FSIS: Class I

Class I is a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.

This is the agency’s own classification, taken from its notice. The severity score below is our assessment, not the agency’s. How recall classes work

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 5/5 (Critical).

Highest-severity recall. The hazard can cause serious injury or death. Stop using the product now and follow the agency's instructions.

Our severity reasoning: The source metadata explicitly classifies the recall as 'High - Class I' and 'Class I'. According to the rubric, an agency classification of FDA Class I or USDA Class I mandates a severity score of 5 (Critical), regardless of the absence of reported illnesses.

Plain-English summary

Fineberg Packing Co., Inc., a Memphis, Tennessee establishment, is recalling approximately 8,822 pounds of ready-to-eat ham products that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes. The affected items include 14-lb. vacuum-sealed packages of FINEBERG’S Finest Danish Brand BBQ Flavored Ham and 30.6-lb. boxes containing two vacuum-sealed packages of Holly Brand hickory smoked fully cooked HAM. These products were packaged on January 16, 2017, and bear establishment number EST. 428 inside the USDA mark of inspection.

The recall was initiated after a Food Safety Assessment conducted by an FSIS employee identified the potential contamination. The products were shipped to distributors in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to the consumption of these products.

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. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them and should throw them away or return them to the place of purchase. FSIS and the company are concerned that some product may be frozen and in consumers' freezers.

The recalled product

Product
Fineberg Packing Co., Inc. Recalls Ready-To-Eat Ham Products Due to Possible Listeria Contamination
Category
Food — Ready-to-Eat Meat
Hazard

Distribution

Distributed in 3 states:

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