High - Class I USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service

Prime Line Distributors, Inc. and Ferrarini USA, Inc. Imported Ready-To-Eat Pork recall: Product Contamination

Recall published last month

Product Contamination

The hazard: Listeria contamination

This is a Listeria recall, so the usual kitchen tests do not apply — the bacteria grow in a cold fridge and leave no smell, no cloudiness and no off taste.

What the notice says: Product Contamination

Why it matters: Listeria monocytogenes is unusual among foodborne bacteria because it keeps growing at refrigerator temperature. A contaminated pack does not become safer for sitting in the cold, and it will look, smell and taste completely normal.

Symptoms and when to call a doctor

Listeriosis is mild or silent in most healthy adults, but it is serious for pregnant people, newborns, adults over 65 and anyone whose immune system is suppressed. The CDC describes intestinal illness as diarrhoea and vomiting, and invasive illness as fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance or convulsions. In pregnancy it can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or infection in the newborn even when the parent feels only mildly unwell. Symptoms can start within a day or not appear for weeks, so tell any doctor you see that you ate a recalled product and give them the date.

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you feel unwell, a clinician who can see you is the only person able to judge your case.

Recall details

Recall number
019-020-2026
Published
September 6, 2026
Risk level
High - Class I
Status
Closed
Issued by
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
Brand
Prime Line Distributors, Inc. and Ferrarini USA, Inc.
Product type
Pork products
Units affected
1,513 pounds
Distribution
California, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Texas
Made in
United States

Products covered by this recall

• Various weight cardboard cases containing two pieces of individually vacuumed packed “PRIME LINE DISTRIBUTORS, INC. GUANCIALE PORK JOWL PRODUCT OF ITALY” with “LOT: 263311US” and “BEST IF USE BY DATE: 05.16.27” printed on the label. • Various weight individually vacuumed packaged “GUANCIALE PORK JOWL PRODUCT OF ITALY” with “LOT: 263311US” and “BEST IF USE BY: 05.16.27” printed on the label. The product has an additional label with “DOK GUANCIALE” on the packaging. • Various weight cardboard cases containing two pieces of individually vacuumed packed “GUANCIALE PORK JOWL PRODUCT OF ITALY” with “LOT: 263311US” and “BEST IF USE BY DATE: 05.16.27” printed on the label. • Various weight individually vacuumed packaged “FERRARINI GUANCIALE DRY-CURED PORK JOWL” with “LOT: 263311US” and “BEST IF USE BY DATE: 05.16.27” printed on the label.

Check your product

The notice names 6 codes you can read straight off the package. Type the one printed on yours and the list below narrows to it.

Lot or batch code

Usually ink-stamped near the seam, the cap or the bottom of the pack.

  • 263311US

Best-by / use-by date

Printed beside the lot code, not on the price sticker.

  • 05.16.27

Establishment number

Inside the USDA mark of inspection on the label.

  • 1937L

Model or item number

On the rating label, the box or the instruction sheet.

  • OF ITALY

Package size

Match the net weight or the piece count on the front of the pack.

  • 513 pounds
  • 1937 L

Codes are lifted verbatim from the USDA FSIS — Recalls & public health alerts notice. A code that is missing here may still be covered — the official notice is the complete list.

What to do about Listeria

Prime Line Distributors, Inc. and Ferrarini USA, Inc. — This is a Listeria recall, so the usual kitchen tests do not apply — the bacteria grow in a cold fridge and leave no smell, no cloudiness and no off taste.

  1. Do not eat it and do not open a sealed pack to inspect it — opening it only spreads the bacteria around your kitchen.
  2. Photograph the label, the lot code and the date mark before the pack leaves the house — that picture is what a refund claim runs on.
  3. Throw it out in a sealed bag, or return it to the store. Either is accepted; what matters is that nobody else eats it.
  4. Wash and then sanitise anything the food touched: the fridge shelf and drawer, chopping boards, knives, counters and your hands. Listeria colonises cold surfaces and can survive there after the food is gone.

Getting a refund without the pack

The commonest reason people skip the refund is that they have already thrown the item away. That rarely matters.

  • A photo of the label and lot code is accepted by most grocers, and so is a card statement line showing the purchase.
  • Store credit is often offered first. You can ask for the original payment method instead, and it is normally granted.
  • No photo either? Ask anyway. Grocery chains settle recall refunds at the service desk because disputing them costs more than paying them.
  • For a multi-pack or a case, ask for the full purchase price rather than a per-unit figure — the recall covers what you paid.

Company contact: Company Contact Prime Line Distributors, Inc Liliana Rojas, QA/QC Manager 954-925-4500 [email protected]

The official notice

This page summarises a notice published by USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. The agency notice is the authoritative version — read it before you act, and treat it as the final word if anything here looks different.

Open the USDA FSIS — Recalls & public health alerts record USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service recalls

Questions people ask about this recall

Why was Prime Line Distributors, Inc. and Ferrarini USA, Inc. pork… recalled?

Product Contamination Product Contamination

How do I know if I have the recalled product?

Match the codes printed on your package against the notice: lot code 263311US; best-by date 05.16.27; establishment number 1937L; model number OF ITALY. If the code on your package is not on that list, your unit is outside the recall.

What should I do with it right now?

Do not eat it and do not open a sealed pack to inspect it — opening it only spreads the bacteria around your kitchen.

Can I get my money back?

A photo of the label and lot code is accepted by most grocers, and so is a card statement line showing the purchase.

Which states were affected?

The notice lists California, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Texas.

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