Updates
At the time of the recall, no victims had been confirmed after the recall. This past Friday, the CDC confirmed 11 victims, 9 of which needed hospitalization, and unfortunately, the death of an infant in California was announced, victim to this outbreak.
It’s official: Listeria has been on a rampage recently, and it seems it’s not letting up anytime soon. The latest to get caught in its bacterial crossfire? Yu Shang Food Inc.. This past November 9th, the FDA announced that the company issued a recall on 4,589 pounds of its ready-to-eat meat and poultry products due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. All those who might’ve purchased the product should dispose of it or issue a return. Wait, didn’t we talk about this same bacteria last week? Yes, yes we did. Stick around to find out more about this case.
What happened?
The Spartanburg, South Carolina company recalled this past November 9th approximately 4,589 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry products since they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The items were produced from October 21 to October 27, 2024. These products have “used by” dates ranging from 21-AUG-2025 through 27-AUG-2025. How did they find this out? The FSIS performed a routine testing and follow-up activities of the finished product produced by Yu Shang Food, Inc. on October 21, which confirmed the product was positive for this bacteria. These items were shipped to retail locations nationwide and were available for purchase online.
Brand | Product | Size | Best by | Issue |
Yu Shang Food Inc. | Yu Shang Brand Cooked Chicken | 20 oz | 08/25/2025 – 08/27/2025 | Listeria |
Yu Shang Food Inc. | Seasoned Pork Hock | 20 oz | 08/25/2025 – 08/27/2025 | Listeria |
Yu Shang Food Inc. | Japanese Cashu Pork Belly | 16 oz | 08/25/2025 – 08/27/2025 | Listeria |
Yu Shang Food Inc. | Braised Pork Belly in Brown Sauce | 16 oz | 08/25/2025 – 08/27/2025 | Listeria |
Yu Shang Food Inc. | Yu Shang Brand Cooked Pork Hock | 1.4 lbs | 08/25/2025 – 08/27/2025 | Listeria |
Yu Shang Food Inc. | Chinese Brand Spicy Chicken Feet | 8 oz | 08/25/2025 – 08/27/2025 | Listeria |
Yu Shang Food Inc. | Bazhen Seasoned Whole Chicken | 20 oz | 08/25/2025 – 08/27/2025 | Listeria |
Yu Shang Food Inc. | Braised Beef Shank | 16 oz | 08/25/2025 – 08/27/2025 | Listeria |
Yu Shang Food Inc. | Seasoned Pork Tongues | 12 oz | 08/25/2025 – 08/27/2025 | Listeria |
What caused the issue?
This recall was caused by the bacteria of the moment, Listeria. According to the FSIS, consumption of food contaminated with L. monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that mostly affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns. Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract. In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn. In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics. Unfortunately, the CDC reported on November 22nd that an infant in California has died and it has 11 victims confirmed, with nine of those needing hospitalization.
Here’s what you should do
If you purchased this product, take action! Here’s how:
- Check the label:
– Best by dates: 21-AUG-2025 through 27-AUG-2025 - Identify the product:
– Yu Shang Brand Cooked Chicken
– Seasoned Pork Hock
– Japanese Cashu Pork Belly
– Braised Pork Belly in Brown Sauce
– Yu Shang Brand Cooked Pork Hock
– Chinese Brand Spicy Chicken Feet
– Bazhen Seasoned Whole Chicken
– Braised Beef Shank
– Seasoned Pork Tongues - What to do with the product:
Consumers are encouraged to return the product for a full refund or to dispose of it. - Contact details:
Media and consumers with questions regarding the recall can send an email to [email protected] or contact Ling Li, Yu Shang Food, Inc. Plant Manager, at 408-857-0901.
Behind the brand
The South Carolina company specializes in meat/poultry manufacturing. They produce Chinese style fully cooked whole chicken, seasoned chicken, seasoned pork feet, seasoned pork hock, chicken feet, duck necks and so on, a total of 17 different kinds of meat products.
In the past few weeks, there have been three (yes, three) other Listeria emergencies coming from different products and different companies. Cheese, mushrooms, and now meats, what’s next? It’s like this bacteria has been all across America lately. And let’s not forget to mention de Boar’s Head incident earlier this year that affected 59 people in 19 states and has been linked to 10 deaths.
“That’s the worst outbreak that we have had in terms of mortality since 2011 when a Listeria outbreak linked to cantaloupe killed 33 people. We certainly have not conquered microbiological food-borne illness,” said Thomas Gremillion, director of food policy at the Consumer Federation of America.
These frequent outbreaks could be due to the new technologies that are being used to detect risks in the products that go out in the market but it most definitely could also be because of the industrialization of food
Ensuring safe eats
When it comes to food safety, mistakes can have a huge impact on society. Putting unsafe products out on the market can pose a serious threat to consumers. Having a trusted wholesaler and using premium ingredients is key to a company’s success. If you’re looking to source high-quality, safe ingredients for your business, talk to our team. We’ve got the ingredients you can trust!
