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(RTTNews) - Albertsons Companies has voluntarily recalled 12 types of ReadyMeals and deli items supplied by Fresh Creative Foods, a division of Reser's Fine Foods, due to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

The recall follows the identification of a contaminated ready-to-eat chicken ingredient from BrucePac of Durant, Okla., detected during routine testing by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

The company advises consumers who have purchased these items not to consume them. Instead, they should dispose of the products or return them to their local store for a full refund. Those concerned about injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.

The ReadyMeals and store-made deli items were available for purchase at Albertsons, Carrs-Safeway, Jewel-Osco, Pavilions, Randalls, Safeway, Shaw's, Star Market, Tom Thumb, and Vons. These stores are located in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wyoming.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics.

The company noted that people in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell the health care provider about eating the contaminated food.

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