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News from PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
Office of Communications
22 Chambers St., Suite 201
Princeton, NJ 08542 USA
Telephone 609-258-3601; Fax 609-258-1301
For immediate release: Oct. 18, 2002
Contact: Lauren Robinson-Brown, (609) 258-3601, lauren@princeton.edu
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University suspends service of Wampler meat products
PRINCETON, N.J. -- As a precautionary measure, University Dining Services
announced today that it has suspended service of Wampler Foods meat
products, some of which have been recalled out of a concern about food
illness related to listeria.
- The University has not served any product that has been identified
as containing listeria, and it is rare for healthy people to be impacted
by the infection.
- To date, the University has not experienced any cases of listeriosis
or health problems that can be linked to the product.
- Listeria cannot be passed from person to person.
Background
Wampler
Foods has recalled products that were produced between May 1 and
Oct. 11, 2002. Testing at a Wampler plant occurred as part of a larger
investigation of a listeriosis outbreak, primarily in the Northeastern
United States, causing 46 illnesses since mid-July.
- Listeriosis is a food-borne disease that can cause serious illness
to certain individuals, including the elderly, pregnant women and
those with weakened immune systems.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued
guidelines
regarding listeria.
- The CDC reports that only about 2,500 cases of listeriosis occur
each year in the United States.
- It reports that "the risk of an individual person developing listeria
infection after consumption of a contaminated product is very small."
- If you are in a high-risk group -- including the elderly, pregnant
women and those with weakened immune systems -- and have eaten the
contaminated product and within a month have become ill with fever
or signs of serious illness, you should contact your health care provider
to inform him or her about your exposure.
More resources
- The federal government has established a listeria hotline at 800-535-4555.
- University community members with health questions may contact Dr.
Daniel Silverman, University chief medical officer, by email.
- The State of New Jersey also has issued a statement
on listeria.
- A list of products
covered by the recall is available at the Food Safety and Inspection
Service Web site.
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