A South Dakota sandwich maker is recalling several of its burgers over concerns they may have been contaminated with listeria.
The sandwiches are made by Dakota Tom’s Sandwiches in South Dakota and were distributed to stores and truck stops in the Mount Rushmore State, North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Wyoming.
The sandwiches in question contain ingredients from a supplier that has already been contaminated, and include the group’s Pepper Jack and Bacon cheeseburgers, and the ground known as Gambler.
No illnesses have been reported two days after the recall was issued.
In a statement, Dakota Tom’s Sandwiches explained that it is no longer using possibly contaminated burgers in its pre-made creations, as the nationwide recall of BrucePac chicken and beef, now 11.7 million pounds, continues.
A South Dakota sandwich maker is recalling several of its burgers over concerns they may have been contaminated with listeria. Pictured, pre-made bacon cheeseburger from Dakota Tom’s Sandwiches – one of three sandwiches being backed out of an abundance of caution
The burger, along with the South Dakota-based company’s Gambler burger (seen here), will be returned because they are made with burgers from a supplier that has already seen more than 11 million pounds of product contaminated with the often deadly bacteria.
The Dakota Tom’s announcement, for its part, revealed how the firm that classifies its ingredients as “high quality” and its sandwiches “handmade” voluntarily embarked on the withdrawal when receiving ingredients from the company in question.
The burgers used in the pre-packaged bites, the company said, were included in the BrucePac recall, which now costs almost £12m.
“The ingredient supplier’s recall is due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination,” the statement added, without specifying the number of pre-made sandwiches being returned.
It appeared on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website Friday, as the practices of Oklahoma-based BrucePac continue to come under scrutiny.
The company said earlier this month that the affected products were produced between June 19, 2024 and October 8, 2024.
They were sent to other stores and distributors such as Dakota Tom’s, potentially increasing the scope of the contamination.
A third sandwich, the group’s Pepper Jack burger, will also be recalled. The sandwiches are sold pre-made in stores in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Wyoming.
In a statement, Dakota Tom’s Sandwiches explained that it is no longer using the possibly contaminated burgers, as a nationwide recall of chicken and beef from BrucePac, the supplier that provided the burgers, continues.
As the recall expands, Dakota Tom’s told customers that all recalled burgers have a sell-by date range of Sept. 1, 2024, to Nov. 23.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) discovered listeria during routine product testing early last month, following the widespread boar’s head outbreak observed over the summer.
At the Oklahoma facility, ready-to-eat chicken tested positive for the deadly bacteria.
It was later identified as the source of the contamination, caused by the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes.
While it is not known exactly what type of chicken is contaminated, ready-to-eat meat refers to foods that come in a package, such as hamburgers.
This could mean that rotisserie chickens, chicken sausages or other types of chicken-based meats are also at risk, months after the Boar’s Head deli outbreak dampened consumer confidence.
In the recall, the New York-based company claimed 7 million pounds of its meat, still about 3 million pounds less than the recall initiated by BrucePac.
Eating foods with Listeria monocytogenes can cause a person to develop a listeriosis infection, which is extremely dangerous for older adults, people with compromised immune systems, and pregnant women along with their newborns.
Symptoms of listeriosis may include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and seizures. All of these symptoms can appear after diarrhea or other digestive problems.
Pregnant women can suffer miscarriages, stillbirths, or premature delivery of their baby if they are infected with listeria.
Consumers who purchased the possibly contaminated Dakota Tom’s sandwiches were told Friday to return the items for a full refund and not to consume them.
Any other concerns should be brought to the attention of the company directly via a phone call, they said.
This is a developing story; Please check back for updates.