Company Recalls 89,000 Pounds of Ready-to-Eat Ham Products Due to Listeria Concerns

A “high health risk” Class I recall has just been issued by the FDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) regarding 89,000 pounds of ready-to-eat ham products. According to the agency, Johnston County Hams has been forced to recall the meat due to listeria concerns.

Listeria monocytogenes is a dangerous bacteria that can cause an infection caused listeriosis, which carries symptoms, such as a stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, convulsions, and gastrointestinal symptoms. While listeria is dangerous for anyone who comes into contact with it, it can be especially destructive to the very young, old, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems.

Sadly, these particular Johnston County Hams produced food products have already caused one death and a handful of serious illnesses. The potentially contaminated, ready-to-eat deli loaf items were produced for roughly a year and a half–between the dates of April 3, 2017, and October 2, 2018. The labeling is as followed:

  • Varying weights of 7 to 8-lbs. plastic-wrapped “JOHNSTON COUNTY HAMS, INC. COUNTRY STYLE FULLY COOKED BONELESS DELI HAM.”
  • Varying weights of 7 to 8-lbs. plastic-wrapped “Ole Fashioned Sugar Cured The Old Dominion Brand Hams Premium Fully Cooked Country Ham” with Sell-By dates from 4/10/2018 to 9/27/2019.
  • Varying weights of 7 to 8-lbs. plastic-wrapped “Padow’s Hams & Deli, Inc. FULLY COOKED COUNTRY HAM BONELESS Glazed with Brown Sugar.”
  • Varying weights of 7 to 8-lbs. plastic-wrapped “Premium Fully Cooked Country Ham LESS SALT Distributed By: Valley Country Hams LLC” with Sell-By dates from 4/10/2018 to 9/27/2019.
  • Varying weights of 7 to 8-lbs. plastic-wrapped “GOODNIGHT BROTHERS COUNTRY HAM Boneless Fully Cooked.”

The FDA is urging consumers to check their fridges and freezers to ensure that this ham is not sitting in either one of them. If you have purchased the product, you can throw it away or return it to the place of purchase. And, if you feel that you may have fallen ill due to the meat, seek help from a medical professional before reporting the incident to the USDA.

We’ll be sure to keep you updated on developments as they become available!

What are your thoughts on this recall? Did you buy this ham? If so, do you believe that it might have made you sick?