Fried Rice Recall Issued as Thousands of Products May Be Contaminated

More than 13,000 pounds of chicken fried rice have been recalled over fears it could be carrying listeria, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has announced.

Listeria was detected in a review of testing results which showed the Freshness Guaranteed brand product contained the L. monocytogenes bacterium. Affected products are named "chicken fried rice diced chicken meat with vegetables and rice in savory soy sauce" and come in 12-ounce batches. Potentially affected products bear the lot code 595874884.

In total, the FSIS said approximately 13,842 pounds of the ready to eat meals may be contaminated.

The trays also have the establishment number "EST. P-31993″ inside the USDA mark of inspection and were shipped to retail outlets nationwide, the FSIS release said. Potentially contaminated batches also have a "best if used by" date of October 11, 2024.

Anyone who may have the product at home is urged not to eat it and to either throw it out or return it to the point of purchase. The FSIS said the product can be frozen so is likely to remain in food storage until eaten, meaning consumers should check now to see if they have the product at home.

According to the release, the trays were produced by Garland Ventures, of Garland, Texas, on November 10, 2023. No illnesses associated with eating the product have been reported so far.

Newsweek has contacted the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service as well as Garland Ventures for comment via email.

Listeriosis is a serious infection that can cause a variety of unpleasant symptoms which start around two weeks after infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While most infected people only develop an intestinal illness, it can spread to other parts of the body.

Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, confusion, headaches, loss of balance and seizures. The FSIS warns that listeriosis can also cause "convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms".

While not everyone who contracts listeria shows symptoms, those most likely to get sick are people who are pregnant and their newborns, adults aged 65 or older, and people with weakened immune systems. Pregnant women can become at risk of miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery and life-threatening infections can affect the newborn child.

Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics. Those in higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months of eating contaminated food should seek medical care, the advisory states.

Consumers with questions about the recall can contact Garland Ventures account managers Evelyn Tsai or Phoebe Hsu by calling 972-485-8878 or emailing evelyntsai@ballyplus.com or phoebehsu@ballyplus.com.