Recall announced for more than 3,000 pounds of frozen meatballs

Jan. 25 (UPI) -- The Rich Products Corporation is recalling more than 3,000 pounds of ready-to-eat beef meatballs that may be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service said Thursday.

The Member's Mark Casa di Bertacchi Italian Style Beef Meatballs were produced on Dec. 17, 2017, have a "best if used by" date of Dec. 17, 2018, and have a lot code of 15507351, the USDA said in a statement.

The meatballs were sent to distributors in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

Consuming the meatballs, contaminated with L. monocytogenes, could cause listeriosis -- a serious infection that can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms.

Listeriosis, which is treated with antibiotics, mostly affects older adults, persons with weak immune systems and pregnant women.

"Persons in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell the health care provider about eating the contaminated food," the statement said.

The USDA says the problem was discovered on Jan. 24, 2018.

FSIS says consumers should not eat the meatballs and instead should throw them away or return them.