BY BILL EGBERT
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
April 13, 2005
A Bronx turkey processing plant that left its neighbors holding their noses had a whole new problem yesterday, recalling tons of contaminated meat.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said that LSK Smoked Turkey Products Inc. in Parkchester voluntarily agreed to recall 39,000 pounds of smoked turkey and pork products that may be contaminated with potentially fatal bacteria called Listeria monocytogenes.
The products include 30-pound bulk packages of turkey and pork products produced on April 4 and shipped to distribution centers in Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Florida for institutional use, as well as 2-pound packages shipped to retail outlets in the same states.
Each product has a “sell by” date of 6-04-05 and bears the establishment code “P-19064” or “Est. 19064” inside the USDA mark of inspection.
The USDA said the Class I recall meant a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious health consequences or death.
Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially fatal disease. Healthy people rarely contract listeriosis. However, it can cause miscarriages and stillbirths and sometimes fatal infections in those with weakened immune systems.
The USDA has received no reports of illness associated with consumption of the products. Consumers with questions about the recall may contact company spokesman Alan Comroe at (718) 792-1300.
LSK at 1575 Bronx River Ave. did not return a call from the Daily News for comment.
The recall is just the latest in LSK’s run of bad luck. The factory was shuttered for several days two months ago when its court-ordered filtration equipment failed, releasing a foul odor in the neighborhood.
Last week, neighbors again called the Department of Environmental Protection over another nasty smell.
“It was coming from the grease interceptors,” said DEP spokesman Charles Sturcken.