Walmart Pulls Tainted Delis off Shelves

Walmart pulls tainted delis off shelves

A portion of some 160 tons of meat delivered to Walmart stores nationwide has been recalled because  they were found to be contaminated with Listeria, a deadly bacteria.

They were sourced from Zemco Industries of Buffalo, New York by Walmart for their deli sandwiches.

“The problem was discovered as a result of a retail sample collected by the state of Georgia that confirmed positive for Listeria monocytogenes,” the Department of Agriculture said in a statement.

But a Zemco spokesman said that most of the meat used in Walmart's Marketside Grab and Go sandwiches had probably been eaten before the contamination was found.

The USDA said there were no reports of Listeriosis, an infection caused by the bacteria. The microbe can cause serious if not fatal infections in people with weak immune systems like children and the elderly.

Walmart, the country's biggest retailer, received instructions to destroy the remaining Angus Roast Beef, Hard Salami, and Black Forest Ham they have in stock.

A spokesman for Bentonville, Arkansas-based Walmart did not say how many and which stores are affected by the pullout.

A sample from Georgia was found to be positive for Listeria monocytogenes, said Gary Mickelson, a spokesman for the Agriculture department.

The products which were ordered to be recalled included Hot Ham, Hard Salami, Pepperoni, Sandwich Peppers, Black Forest Ham with Natural Juices Coated with Caramel Color, Fully Cooked Bacon, Sandwich Pickles, Sandwich Peppers, Virginia Brand Ham with Natural Juices, Made in New York, and Angus Roast Beef Coated with Caramel Color.

Posted by Melanie Mendoza on Wednesday August 25 2010, 5:28 AM EST. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Shopping. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0