Protecting families from contaminated food and water
All fields are required
Protecting families from contaminated food and water
Posted in Listeria,Outbreaks & Recalls on November 25, 2024
Listeria illness during pregnancy has serious consequences. An unfortunate reality for many mourning families.
A recent Listeria outbreak associated with Yu Shang products relating to the death of twin newborns highlights this seriousness of Listeria illness during pregnancy and the terrible consequences that occur from unknowingly consuming contaminated food.
Here’s what we know about the impacts of Listeria during pregnancy and updates on the Yu Shang product recall and outbreak.
So far at least 11 people have been sickened in an outbreak linked to Yu Shang products. These ready-to-eat, frozen foods have been associated with this outbreak and a recall. Shortly after, an extended recall involving more products was released.
Nine people have been hospitalized.
A California woman who was pregnant with twins was sickened. Both infants died. According to reports, only one infant tested positive for Listeria bacteria. This child and the mother were included in the Listeria case count. The other infant was not.
An initial United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recall for select Yu Shang products, including beef shank, chicken feet, duck neck, pork hock, and others was announced on November 9, 2024. A recent update on November 21, 2024 has expanded that recall to include more of the company’s ready-to-eat, not shelf stable products.
Approximately 72,240 pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products within their shelf life is subject to this recall due to potential contamination with the serious health risk, Listeria monocytogenes.
All ready-to-eat products produced prior to October 28, 2024 are now subject to recall.
All Yu Shang Food, Inc. Ready-to-Eat Meat and Poultry Products Produced BEFORE October 28, 2024 are subject to recall!
Affected products can be identified by their establishment number P-46684 or EST. M46684 that is located inside the USDA mark of inspection on the package.
These items were shipped nationwide as well as available for purchase online.
The USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) discovered the Listeria monocytogenes contamination in Yu Shang products during routine testing activities. Additional testing included follow-up activities of finished products and environmental sampling.
Listeria bacteria was found in both product samples and environmental samples collected by FSIS.
Additionally, public health partners at the state and local level have also identified a link between these Yu Shang ready-to-eat products and a cluster of illnesses.
Additional testing to identify if product or environmental samples match outbreak patient samples is underway and should be available soon.
Listeria food poisoning can be tricky. Some people may not experience any symptoms of illness. Others may only experience mild illness and not seek medical treatment. For those cases, these people are never tested for Listeria bacterial infections and are never included in the outbreak data.
Initial symptoms can start within a few hours or days of exposure, however complications that lead to serious illness may take weeks or even months to show up. This makes Listeria outbreak investigations quite complicated.
Adding in the fact that these ready-to-eat foods are sold frozen and keep for a long time in consumer freezers, missed recall information could mean that these products could still be consumed long after news of the recall and outbreak has ended.
For most people, Listeria infection symptoms can range from mild intestinal illness to serious, or even life-threatening invasive illness.
Intestinal illness affects the digestive tract resulting in diarrhea and vomiting within around 24 hours of exposure and lasts between one and three days. These types of illnesses are treated with rest and hydration for the most part. In some cases, people in more vulnerable groups may get more sick or require antibiotic treatment.
It’s when the bacteria breach the intestinal wall and enter other parts of the body that invasive illness kicks in. This type of infection can have serious consequences.
For those that are pregnant, a Listeria infection can behave in very different ways.
Symptoms tend to milder, presenting effects similar to the flu. Fever, muscle aches, and fatigue. That type of thing. In some cases, pregnant people don’t even show signs of illness at all.
Sadly, the greatest risk falls to the pregnancy itself and the newly born.
Listeria infections can increase the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn.
Symptoms look a bit different in those who are not pregnant. Flu-like symptoms are also common. However, additional symptoms like headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and/or seizures may also occur.
The mortality rate for Listeria illness in non-pregnant people is also higher than those observed for Listeria illness during pregnancy.
Nearly one in 20 non-pregnant people with invasive Listeria illness will die from the infection.
The long shelf life of these frozen products complicates the recall process. Those with these potentially dangerous products remain in freezers until they are ready to be thawed and consumed. By the time this happens, they may not realize the product was recalled.
If you find yourself sickened from this recall/outbreak, there are a few things you can do.
If you become sick from eating food you discover was recalled, seek medical attention. Even if you do not start off severely ill, Listeria complications can arise. Linking your patient sample with an existing outbreak investigation can help you health care provider give you better specialized care and help investigators with their investigation.
Keeping proof of your purchase may help investigators narrow or widen the scope of their investigation. Your assistance may be able to help prevent others from becoming sick from this outbreak event.
If you have become sick after eating Yu Shange, Inc ready-to-eat products, and wish to make a legal claim, The Lange Law Firm, PLLC can help!
An experienced Listeria lawyer can help you hold those whose negligence caused this burned to be accountable. If you have been significantly affected by this outbreak, reach out for a free, no obligation consultation by phone at (833) 330-3663 or fill out the online submission form.
Get answers to your questions and start the process of long-term recovery today!
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)