Rich Products expands frozen food products recall over possible E. coli contamination

US-based Rich Products has expanded its voluntary recall to include more than 10 million pounds of frozen snack foods, over fears that the products may be contaminated with Escherichia coli O121 bacteria (E. coli O121).

The expanded recall is in addition to products recalled on 28 March 2013, when the company announced that it was withdrawing 196,222lbs of frozen chicken quesadilla and various other frozen mini meals and snack items over E.coli contamination concerns.

The latest recall affects all ‘Farm Rich’ and ‘Market Day’ products produced at its facility in Waycross, Georgia, with best by dates ranging from 1 January 2013 to 29 September 2014.

The products being recalled are Farm Rich Whole Grain Rich Pepperoni Pizzata, Farm Rich Better For You Pizza Dipper, Farm Rich Turkey Pizzata, Farm Rich Stuffed Crust Pizza Dippers, Farm Rich Stuffed Crust Pizza Dippers, Farm Rich Better For You Pizza Dipper, Pepperoni Pizzata, Farm Rich Handheld Stuffed Pepperoni Pleezer, BBQ Chicken Sandwich Melt and Meatball Marinara Sandwich Melt.

This recall also includes Farm Rich Mozzarella Bites, Farm Rich Pizza Slices, Farm Rich Mini Quesadillas, Farm Rich Philly Cheese Steaks, Farm Rich Mini Bacon Cheeseburgers, Farm Rich Mini Pizza Slices,Schwan’s Mini Meatball Sandwiches, Schwan’s Baked Mozzarella Bites and Market Day Mozzarella Bites.

The products were distributed to retail stores and select foodservice distribution customers across the US.

Rich Products said that it has notified all of its distributors and customers who have received the products in question, and has advised them to discard the affected products.

In addition, the company noted that all other affected products under its control have been quarantined and will be destroyed.

On 19 March, FSIS was notified of a multi-state investigation of E. coli O121 illnesses.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had reported 24 cases of E. coli 0121 in 15 states.

As part of the investigation, food samples were collected from an ill individual in New York and tested by the New York State Department of Health Wadsworth Laboratory.

The test results revealed that a sample of a Farm Rich frozen chicken mini quesadilla product from a New York case was contamined with the E. coli O121 strain that was linked to the outbreak.

In addition, illnesses reported in Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia were linked to the consumption of Farm Rich products.

Commenting on the latest recall, Rich Products president and chief executive officer Bill Gisel said: "When it became apparent to us that, despite the expertise of the USDA, the FDA, the scientific community and our own experts, identification of a specific cause was not going to be a simple or short process, we decided to act proactively to expand the recall."

Rich Products noted that it will continue to cooperate with federal, state and local agencies investigating the situation.

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Image: The recall includes Farm Rich Mozzarella Bites. Photo courtesy of the FDA.