Trader Joe's has voluntarily recalled a batch of one of its frozen chicken and rice meals from store shelves in 14 states, including Massachusetts, due to possible listeria contamination.
The neighborhood grocer announced over the weekend it was alerted by its supplier that some Trader Joe's Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice meals may be affected. The products in question are: sku 99032 with a production date of "305 12" and come in 12.5-ounce packages.
"In accordance with our stringent health and safety standards, and out of the utmost caution and care for our customers, all code dates of this product have been removed from sale and destroyed. To date, we have received no reports of illness related to this product," said Trader Joe's in a statement.
Customers who did purchase the item are urged to throw it away or return it to any Trader Joe's store for a full refund.
Food Safety News reports that the recall, originally initiated by Aliya's Foods Limited of Canada, involves nearly 5,000 pounds of the product and is being overseen by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the U.S Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.
Questions can be directed to Trader Joe's Customer Relations at 626-599-3817, Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. Pacific Time.
The USDA says: "Consumption of food contaminated with listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems and pregnant women and their newborns."
Listeriosis can cause fever, headache, neck stiffness and muscle aches, preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms, along with more serious side affects in some cases, according to the USDA.