WASHINGTON, April 5, 2004 – Charles T. Heard & Co., a Bangor, Pa., firm, is voluntarily recalling approximately 100 pounds of ready-to-eat, fully cooked, bologna that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The products subject to recall are approximately 1 ¾ lb. packages of "RING BOLOGNA, WITH VARIETY MEATS." Each package bears the establishment number "EST. 9563" inside the USDA mark of inspection.

The products were produced on March 31, 2004. They were distributed to two retail stores in Roseta and Wind Gap, Pa., as well as the company’s retail counter at 501 South Main Street in Bangor.

FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a physician.

The problem was discovered by the company.

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 high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea. Listeriosis can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths, as well as serious and sometimes fatal infections in those with weak immune systems – infants, the frail or elderly and persons with chronic disease, HIV infection or in chemotherapy.

Media and consumers with questions about the recall may contact Keith Heard, company owner, at 610-588-1195.

Consumers with food safety questions can phone the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline. The hotline is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.

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