Highest risk U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Stater Bros. Chicken Street Taco Kit recall: Potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination

Recall published 2+ years ago

Potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Stater Bros. Meat & poultry — recalled meat & poultryStater Bros. Meat & poultry — recalled meat & poultry (photo 2)
2 photos published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration with the recall notice.

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: Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that 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
February 9, 2024
Risk level
Highest risk
Issued by
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Brand
Stater Bros.
Product type
Meat & poultry
Sold at
Stater Bros
Reports of harm
No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this product.

Products covered by this recall

Chicken Street Taco Kit

What the company announced

San Bernardino, California — Feb. 9, 2024 — Stater Bros. Markets is voluntarily recalling 768 units of CHICKEN STREET TACO KIT with All Sell Thru dates up to and including Feb. 10, 2024, supplied by Fresh Creative Foods due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that 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 headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

The Chicken Street Taco kit contains a recalled cheese ingredient in the crema cup supplied by Rizo-López Foods, Inc., of Modesto, California. The Chicken Street Taco Kits were available for purchase at all Stater Bros. Markets in California.

Product Recall Details:

  • Product Name: CHICKEN STREET TACOS · UPC: 0102864343013992 · Size: 20 oz · Sell Thru Dates: All Sell Thru dates up to and including Feb. 10, 2024

The FDA and CDC, in collaboration with state and local partners, are investigating illnesses in a multi-year, multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections linked to queso fresco and cotija cheeses manufactured by Rizo-Lopez Foods. Rizo-López Foods’ recall announcement can be found here .

Consumers who have purchased these items are urged not to consume these products and to dispose of them or return the items to their local store for a full refund.

Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider. The FDA recommends in these cases that anyone who purchased or received any recalled products to use extra vigilance in cleaning and sanitizing any surfaces and containers that may have come in contact with these products to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. Listeria monocytogenes can survive in refrigerated temperatures and can easily spread to other foods and surfaces.

No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this product.

Consumers with questions should contact Stater Bros. Customer Service at 909-733-5000 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST.

This recall is being made with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

FDA Outbreak Investigation

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.

  • 20 oz

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

Stater Bros. — 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.

Remedy named in the notice: Consumers who have purchased these items are urged not to consume these products and to dispose of them or return the items to their local store for a full refund.

Company contact: Stater Bros. Markets — Consumers: Stater Bros. Customer Service, 909-733-5000

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 Stater Bros. meat & poultry recalled?

Potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that 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 who have purchased these items are urged not to consume these products and to dispose of them or return the items to their local store for a full refund.

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