Food recall issued for cooked chicken product sold in Ontario

OTTAWA — An outbreak of listeria monocytogenes infections has prompted the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to issue a food recall warning for Rosemount brand cooked diced chicken meat.

The agency says the product was packaged for hotels, restaurants and institutions such as hospitals and nursing homes (not for retail sales) and was distributed  in seven provinces including Ontario.

The recall involves 4.54 kg packages with a packaging date of Jan. 21, 2019.

Food contaminated with listeria may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick.

Symptoms can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache and neck stiffness.

Pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk.

Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, the infection can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn or even stillbirth.

In severe cases of illness, people may die.

CFIA reported on Monday that there were seven confirmed cases of listeria illness across the country, including five in Ontario. Six patients required hospitalization.

Symptoms usually appear two to three weeks after exposure, but may take as long as 70 days to develop.

Listeriois is treated with antibiotics, but early diagnosis is key.