Manda meat to recall 20,166 lbs. of deli products

Louisiana meat-packing company Manda Packing Company has recalled 20,166 pounds of potentially bacteria-contaminated deli meats, ABC local reported.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, Manda Packing Co. was recalling meat that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium that can cause listeriosis -- a rare but potentially fatal disease.

The possibly infected products were reportedly packed on February 27 and distributed in deli stores in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Florida, Alabama, Oklahoma, Illinois and Tennessee under a “Sell by” date of May 13-June 9.

Among the recalled products are Manda Supreme Roast Beef, Four Star Cajun Roast Beef, Four Star Roast Beef, Cajun Prize Roast Beef, Manda Supreme Natural Roast Beef, Manda Natural Roast Beef and Manda New Orleans Style Beef.

According to ABC local, Manda's recall announced last week now includes 468,000 pounds of roast beef, ham, turkey breast, tasso pork, ham shanks, hog headcheese, corned beef, and pastrami.

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service released a statement listing the eight types of meats that were sold under 41 different names and explaining listeriosis.

"Healthy people rarely contract listeriosis. However, listeriosis can cause high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea," the statement said. "Listeriosis can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths, as well as serious and sometimes fatal infections in those with weakened immune systems, such as infants, the elderly and persons with HIV infection or undergoing chemotherapy"

On Saturday, Josh Yarborough, director of quality assurance for Manda, said the company was committed to working with the USDA to "continue to ensure that our products are safe, wholesome and worthy of our brand name."