Tyson Foods has announced a product recall on around 8.5 million pounds of frozen chicken that may have been contaminated with listeria.

The Agriculture Department said in a statement that the recall was voluntary and was issued after the department's investigators were notified that about two people who had been ill with listeriosis, according to The New York Times report.

The recall includes Tyson branded products and private labels for restaurants namely Jet's Pizza, Casey's General Store, Marco Pizza, and Little Caesars.

Tyson Foods said that the affected products came from production at one plant in Dexter, Missouri, between December 26 and April 13, according to a USA Today report.

The company said it has been working with the USDA on the recall and said that there is conclusive evidence that the products were contaminated at the time of shipment.

However, the voluntary recall was initiated out of caution.

The packages have the establishment code P-7089 printed on them.

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Listeriosis

The Agriculture Department encouraged people to throw away or return the recalled chicken.

Symptoms of listeriosis include fever, convulsions, muscle aches, and gastrointestinal issues. It is an infection that is caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes.

Usually, symptoms develop one to four weeks after eating the contaminated food.

Meanwhile, pregnant women, adults over 65, and people with weakened immune systems are most susceptible to a serious case of infection.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that it is usually a mild illness for pregnant women. However, it causes severe disease for the fetus or newborn baby.

In addition, pregnant women are about 20 times more likely to be infected with listeriosis as compared to any other healthy adults, according to The World Health Organization fact sheet.

Pregnant women who got the illness might have newborns with low birth weight, septicemia, and meningitis.

Listeriosis can also affect other parts of the body such as bones, joints, and other areas in the chest and abdomen, according to a CDC website.

One should seek medical care and tell their healthcare provider about eating possibly contaminated food.

Tyson Foods

Tyson Foods had made its fame in Arkansas in the mid-1990s for being known as the largest poultry producer in the country. It has also been known for its alleged political connections to the Clinton administration, according to an Encyclopedia website.

The business started with an Arkansas farmer John Tyson. He was known to deliver about 50 chickens to sell in Chicago in 1935.

The company began making a profit buying and selling chicken before World War II. He eventually started raising chickens as well and the company became incorporated in 1947.

Tyson Foods had also acquired Ocoma Foods, Krispy Kitchens, and the poultry sector of Wilson Foods.

In 1978, Tyson bought the rest of Wilson foods. Two years later, he launched a Chick'n Quick line, which is a service offering easy-to-prepare chicken portions.

Don Tyson had retired as chairman in 1995 and passed the position to Leland E. Tollett.

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