FDA Sandwich Recall Update Issued for 16 States

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a recall warning for a number of sandwich products in 16 states because they may contain a bacteria that can cause food poisoning.

The recall was initiated in June by Michigan-based Lipari Foods Operating Company LLC. It involves three types of sandwiches under the Premo brand, affecting more than 1,400 cases of the products. All are past their expiration dates.

The sandwiches may be contaminated with salmonella, which can cause serious and fatal infections in some people.

On Thursday, the FDA classified the recall as a Class II recall, meaning that consuming the affected products carries a relatively low risk of causing serious injury or death, but there is still a risk that serious adverse events could have irreversible effects.

The specific sandwich types affected by this recall are:

• Premo King Club Footlong, 11.5 oz, best before date: 07/15/2024, batch code 25202406
• Premo Meat Lovers, 7 oz, best before date: 13/07/2024, batch code 25202406
• Premo Turkey & Swiss, 6 oz, best before date: 7/15/24, batch code 25202406

The recalled sandwiches were packaged in clear foil and sold in wholesale packages containing four retail units.

These items were distributed in the following states: Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Maryland, West Virginia, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Alabama, Virginia, Florida, Missouri, New York, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

Salmonella can lead to salmonellosis, one of the most common foodborne bacterial infections. Symptoms typically include diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever that appear within six hours to six days of eating contaminated food, according to the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service.

Most people recover within a few days of a salmonella infection without needing treatment. However, people at higher risk for severe illness include older adults, infants, and people with weakened immune systems. If people are concerned about potential illness, FSIS advises them to contact their doctor.

Newsweek contacted Lipari Foods by email outside of business hours for comment.

In July, the U.S. Department of Agriculture proposed new regulations aimed at reducing the presence of salmonella in raw poultry products.

This action is intended to prevent contaminated meat from appearing on store shelves and to reduce the number of illnesses associated with it.

Under the proposed rules, poultry companies must meet new salmonella thresholds and test for six particularly harmful strains of the bacteria, three in turkeys and three in chickens. Poultry that exceeds these standards or contains any of the strains will not be fit for sale and will be recalled.