One Of The Largest Deli Meat Recalls In US History Started At A Pennsylvania Meat Processing Facility

Improper handling of deli meat can lead to serious illness should the food come into contact with harmful bacteria. In some instances, contamination occurs while deli meat is being processed, which can lead to widespread sickness should the manufacturer distribute the affected products. That's what happened in 2002, when Pilgrim's Pride, a food manufacturer based in Texas, was forced to recall 27 million pounds of processed turkey and chicken after tests found evidence of listeria in the floor drains of a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania meat processing plant. These products, sold under the company's Wampler Foods brand, were ultimately linked to a large listeria outbreak affecting the Northeastern U.S., which claimed the lives of seven people and was cited in 39 illnesses.

Listeriosis doesn't usually cause serious effects in healthy individuals, who may experience mild issues like nausea, headache, diarrhea, and fever for a few days before the infection resolves on its own. On the other hand, pregnant people, the elderly, and those with decreased immune function can experience serious, sometimes life-threatening symptoms when exposed to listeria. Past listeria outbreaks involving deli meat have shown that you can potentially avoid illness by heating the meat to 165 degrees Fahrenheit before eating, washing your hands frequently, and sanitizing your refrigerator on a regular basis.

As shown by the most deadly food recalls in American history, a list that includes Boar's Head deli meats and Jalisco cheese, legal action often accompanies recalls that are believed to cause significant illness or loss of life. That's also true of Pilgrim's Pride and its recalled poultry products, as the company agreed to settle four lawsuits for an undisclosed amount in 2006. The company only agreed to the settlements after its requests for the cases to be thrown out were denied. Additionally, Pilgrim's Pride emphasized that it did not believe its products were linked to the subsequent illness and deaths that resulted from the larger outbreak because no listeria was actually found in samples of its meat products.

Despite the controversy surrounding the company (now known as Pilgrim's) at the time of the recall, it continues to operate in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, and it has also established operations in Mexico, the U.K., and throughout Europe. It's also worth noting that while the Pilgrim's deli meat recall was a massive undertaking, the estimated annual output of poultry products in the U.S. at the time was in excess of 30 billion pounds, which may put the recall figure into better perspective.