Screen shot 2010-08-14 at 6.33.05 PM.pngVeron Foods, LLC of Prairieville, La. is recalling approximately 500,000 pounds of “ready to eat” sausage and hog head cheese products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry’s Office of Animal Health and Food Safety announced today.

The following products are subject to recall:

All packages of Veron Hot Smoked Sausage, Veron Mild Smoked Sausage, Martin Hot Smoked Sausage, Martin Mild Smoked Sausage, Veron Andouille Sausage, Martin Andouille Sausage and Veron Hog Head Cheese. 

The products subject to recall bear the establishment number “LA 22” inside the LDAF mark of inspection as well as date codes of 010110 through 111310 and were distributed to retail establishments and institutions within the state of Louisiana.

The problem was discovered through a food borne illness investigation that resulted in a product sample testing positive for Listeria monocytogenes.

Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially fatal disease. Healthy people rarely contract listeriosis. However, listeriosis can cause miscarriages and stillbirths, and can also cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in those with weak immune systems, such as infants, the elderly, and persons with HIV infection or undergoing chemotherapy. Infection can spread to the nervous system, resulting in high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, nausea, confusion and convulsions