Listeria threat forces firm to recall items
By Steve Herring
Published in News on October 13, 2014 1:46 PM
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SunBurst Foods on Sunday issued a voluntary recall notice for a variety of products that might be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
Company officials this morning declined comment and referred to a press release issued Sunday. They also declined to say whether or not the business was closed.
Also, Josa Vaughn, communicable disease manager with the Wayne County Health Department, said she was unaware of the possible infection.
The Health Department has to be informed if someone is infected. However, she said she would have to check on the procedure for reporting recalls because of a possible infection.
It would have been "good community partnering" had SunBurst contacted the Health Department, she said.
"I'll call SunBurst to find out what is going on," she said.
The disease caused by the bacteria primarily affects older adults, pregnant women, newborns, and adults with weakened immune systems. On rare occasion people without these risk factors can also be affected.
The recall is for sandwich, fruit and snack products sold under the Fresh Bites and other labels in North Carolina, Virginia and South Carolina.
Other labels include River Edge farms, CFW, Southern Zest, CJ's Vending, Binford Street Deli, Middle Georgia Vendors, Roanoke Foods, Select Foods and Jesse Jones ( Double Chili Dogs).
It also has been reported that sampling and testing by the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services initiated the recall.