Food Safety: Tyson and HEB Issue Chicken Recall Due to Possible Listeria

HEB and Tyson have issued a recall on chicken due to the possibility of listeria contamination.

According to a press release from H-E-B, Tyson Foods Inc. is recalling approximately 8,492,832 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, as reported by Tyson Foods.

Check Your Freezer

This recall involves some Tyson Foods products and certain H-E-B brand products sold at H-E-B stores and South Flo Pizza locations in Texas. The affected frozen, fully cooked chicken Tyson brand products from Tyson Foods were produced between December 26, 2020 and April 13, 2021. The affected H-E-B Meal Simple items were produced from Jan. 28, 2021 – July 4, 2021. The affected South Flo Pizza items were produced from Jan. 13, 2021 – July 4, 2021.

Throw It Away or Return It To The Store

All products related to this recall that were sold at H-E-B have been removed from production and store shelves. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

I May Have Already Eaten Some

Let's review the dates above again, because that's 6 months worth of products. In my head, I'm thinking of all the chicken that was already consumed during that time. I thoroughly enjoy H-E-B's Meal Simple's, and I'm thinking that I most likely ate some bad chicken now.

Listeria Is Nothing to Mess With

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.

Additional information on the investigation may be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.