Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. and Giant Food LLC said they were voluntarily recalling potato products from their shelves because of possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

 

The announcement comes after the Minnesota Department of Agriculture issued a consumer advisory on Friday for some refrigerated potato products made by Northern Star Co., a subsidiary of food processor Michael Foods Inc. The company has already issued a voluntary recall itself for Simply Potatoes Shredded Hash Browns, Simply Potatoes Homestyle Slices, and Simply Potatoes Red Potato Wedges with “use by” dates between March 29 and April 3 of this year.

 

There have been no reported illnesses related to the above-mentioned products. However, Stop & Shop and Giant Food said customers who have purchased these products should discard any unused portions and bring receipts to their stores for a full refund.

 

Listeria monocytogenes can lead to listeriosis, which is an uncommon but potentially fatal disease, most dangerous to people with weakened immune systems, such as the elderly and infants. It is considered significantly more dangerous than Samonella. The manifestations of listeriosis include septicemia, meningitis (or meningoencephalitis), encephalitis, and intrauterine or cervical infections in pregnant women, which may result in spontaneous abortion. Listeriosis symptoms also include fever, muscle aches, fatigue and gastrointestinal issues. Listeriosis does not cause an illness in most healthy people.

 

The bacterium can be killed by pasteurization, cooking and thorough washing. Most Listeria monocytogenes are pathogenic to some degree and they resist the deleterious effects of freezing, drying.