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Starbucks recalls sandwiches from three U.S. states for possible Listeria contamination

Xinhua, March 8, 2016 Adjust font size:

Starbucks Coffee Co., a Seattle-based U.S. coffee chain, has recalled certain breakfast sandwiches from 250 locations in the states of Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma for possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

Made by Progressive Gourmet Inc., Wilmington, Massachusetts, the popular sausages, eggs and cheese breakfast sandwiches in the six-ounce packages were sold from March 3 to March 4 with "Best Before: 07-AUG-2016" label on the top, local TV station ABC13 quoted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as saying on Monday.

As of last Friday, no illnesses had been reported in connection with these sandwiches, but symptoms of infections from Listeria monocytogenes can take up to 70 days to develop.

"As soon as we were made aware of a supplier issue with a specific lot of sausage, egg and Cheddar Breakfast sandwiches, we removed the impacted product from the select Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas area stores that carried it," a Starbucks spokesperson said on Monday, adding that "The product itself has not tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. No other products are affected because of this issue. We have not received any reports of illnesses to date."

Progressive Gourmet is now working closely with the FDA and the Massachusetts Department of Health and continues to investigate the source of the problem.

Named after the British pioneer of sterile surgery Joseph Lister, Listeria, a serious infection usually caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, is an important public health concern in the United States.

The disease primarily affects older adults, pregnant women, newborns, and adults with weakened immune systems. However, persons without these risk factors can also be affected. Endi