New Warning Issued on Recall of Tainted Food

State health officials are warning consumers not to eat a range of D’Artagnan gourmet products that have been recalled because they may be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes, a potentially lethal bacteria.

Earlier this month, D’Artagnon recalled eight-ounce packages of D’Artagnan Pork Free Mousse Truffee and D’Artangon Pork Free Peppercorn Mousse. Health authorities in Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts and New York are looking into whether these products may have caused 12 people to become ill.

Subsequently, the company recalled 26 additional products, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. All have p9678 or EST#9678 inside the USDA seal of inspection.

Although there have been no reports of illnesses linked to D’Artagnon products in California, state health officials are urging consumers to return the products to the stores where they were purchased.

D’Artagnon Inc., of Newark, N.J., has voluntarily recalled the products, which were distributed nationwide, exported to Canada and possibly sold elsewhere through the Internet and catalogs.

Listeria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in people with weakened immune systems. It is particularly dangerous in pregnant women, who commonly transmit their infection to the fetus.

For further information, contact the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at (800) 535-4555 or (202) 720-3333.