Zemco Industries in Buffalo, New York, has recalled approximately 380,000 pounds of deli meat from Wal-Mart stores nationwide; the meat may be contaminated with bacteria that can cause a potentially fatal disease, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Monday.
The products were distributed to Wal-Marts nationwide, according to the USDA’s website.
The meats may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, which was discovered in a retail sample collected by inspectors in Georgia. The USDA has received no reports of illnesses associated with the meats.
Upon learning of the voluntary recall, Wal-Mart immediately told its stores to remove the meat from their shelves, the company said in a statement.
“Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially fatal disease,” according to the USDA. “Healthy people rarely contract listeriosis. However, listeriosis can cause high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea.”