Laboratory testing showed a package of Simply Potatoes Southwest Style Hash Browns contained listeria.
Northern Star is a subsidiary of Minnetonka-based Michael Foods Inc.
Products included in the recall are hash browns, wedges and slices under the brand names Simply Potatoes, Diners Choice and Farm Fresh with "use by" dates of March 29, 2009, to April 3, 2009.
There have been no illnesses associated with consumption of these products.
Northern Star Co. potato products are considered by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a "not ready to eat" product, meaning that consumers must cook them properly to ensure they are safe to eat. Proper cooking of these products to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit for two minutes kills Listeria bacteria.
However, consumers may return the product to the store where it was purchased for a full refund or replacement.
This recall affects only retail products, not Northern Star Co. food service products.
Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially serious disease marked by fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea. Healthy people rarely contract listeriosis, but it can cause fatal infections in high-risk groups such as infants, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis can also lead to miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women.
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