01-19-2001MILFORD – Maple Leaf Farms, Milford, voluntarily recalled some of its products after bacteria was found in a duckling.
The bacteria was found in a drain at the Milford plant and has been cleaned up.
Tuesday, a recall notice from the Food Safety and Inspection Service said the company voluntarily recalled 4,400 pounds of duckling products after a laboratory test found listeria monocytogens in one duckling.
The duckling products were produced Nov. 30 and shipped to Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin for use by restaurants and caterers. Only Maple Leaf Farm plant employees received the products in Indiana.
One of the company’s customers who does routine testing discovered the bacteria.
Fully cooked products are tested before being shipped but because listeria is difficult to detect, it could have been missed, according to a company spokesperson.
The spokesperson also said the plant is cleaned every night and examined for listeria. The bacteria could have got into the plant by several different means, even by air. The chances of more bacteria appearing in food made on following days is low, the spokesperson said.
No illnesses have been reported as a reult of the food being eaten. Symptoms of the bacteria include fever, headaches and nausea. The bacteria does have the potential to be fatal.
A statement from the Food Safety and Inspection Service said the products recalled have the establishment number EST P-2375 inside the USDA seal of inspection.
Maple Leaf Farms produces farm-raised white Pekin ducklings, fresh and/or frozen, which is shipped to all 50 states and 26 countries worldwide.