Highest risk U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Sam Sung Soybean Sprouts in 1 lb bags recall: Potential contamination of Listeria monocytogenes

Recall published 2+ years ago

Potential contamination of Listeria monocytogenes

Sam Sung Fresh produce — recalled fresh produceSam Sung Fresh produce — recalled fresh produce (photo 2)
2 photos published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration with the recall notice.

The hazard: Listeria contamination

Listeria is the reason this product was pulled, and it is the one food hazard where "it is still in date and it smells fine" tells you nothing at all.

What the notice says: Listeria monocytogenes , an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail, or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

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

Published
December 28, 2023
Risk level
Highest risk
Issued by
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Brand
Sam Sung
Product type
Fresh produce
Distribution
Maryland, Virginia
Reports of harm
NO illness has been reported to date.

Products covered by this recall

Soybean Sprouts in 1 lb bags

What the company announced

Nam & Son of MD, Jessup, MD is recalling one-pound bags of soybean sprouts, with the sell-by date of December 14, 2023, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes .

Listeria monocytogenes , an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail, or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headaches, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infections can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

The product has been distributed to retail stores in VA ranging from December 6 -7, 2023.

The affected product is packaged in a 1lb plastic bag (retail), labeled under the Nam & Son of MD DBA Sam Sung S & M Food and have a “Sell By” date of December 14, 2023.

NO illness has been reported to date.

The recall was initiated after a random sample was collected and analyzed by the state of Virginia, which resulted in confirmation of presence Listeria Monocytogenes in the product. The company has actively started investigating the root cause of the problem. All retail stores who have this “Sell By” date on the packaging should remove this product from their shelves. Consumers should not consume the products and should discard this product or return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers should contact their health provider with any illness concerns. Consumers with questions about the warning may contact Nam & Son at 443-896-6738 which will be monitored 24 hours EST from Monday – Sunday.

Reproduced from the company announcement posted on fda.gov. Links and contact forms in the original are not repeated here; the official notice below has them.

Check your product

The notice names 1 code you can read straight off the package. Type the one printed on yours and the list below narrows to it.

Package size

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

  • 1 lb

Codes are lifted verbatim from the FDA — Company recall announcements notice. A code that is missing here may still be covered — the official notice is the complete list.

What to do about Listeria

Sam Sung — Listeria is the reason this product was pulled, and it is the one food hazard where "it is still in date and it smells fine" tells you nothing at all.

  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. Throw it out in a sealed bag, or return it to the store. Either is accepted; what matters is that nobody else eats it.
  3. 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.
  4. If anyone in the household is pregnant, over 65 or immunocompromised, call a clinician for advice even if nobody feels ill. That conversation is quick and it is the whole point of a Listeria recall.

How to get your money back

Food recalls carry a full refund, and in the United States you usually do not need the receipt or the packaging.

  • Take the product, or your photo of the label, to the customer service desk of the store where you bought it. Nearly every national grocer refunds recalled food on the spot.
  • Bought it online? Open the order in your account and use the refund option; marketplace sellers are required to honour a federal recall.
  • If the store refuses, contact the recalling company using the details on this page. The firm, not the shop, carries the cost of a recall.
  • If you have a loyalty card, the retailer can look the purchase up in your history — Kroger, Costco and Walmart all do this routinely.

Remedy named in the notice: Consumers should not consume the products and should discard this product or return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Company contact: Nam & Son of MD — Consumers: Nam & Son, 443-896-6738

The official notice

This page summarises a notice published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 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 FDA — Company recall announcements record U.S. Food and Drug Administration recalls

Questions people ask about this recall

Why was Sam Sung fresh produce recalled?

Potential contamination of Listeria monocytogenes Listeria monocytogenes , an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail, or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

How do I know if I have the recalled product?

The notice does not publish package codes for this recall. Compare the product name, size and the purchase window against the official FDA — Company recall announcements record, and contact the company if you are unsure.

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?

The notice says: Consumers should not consume the products and should discard this product or return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Which states were affected?

The notice lists Maryland, Virginia.

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