UPDATED: Iowa and Illinois included in recalls of deli salads and meat

Nearly 23,000 pounds of beef, chicken and ham products distributed in 27 states have been recalled because of possible Listeria contamination.

The recall involves products from Reser’s Fine Foods of Topeka, Kansas.  The recall was announced October 22, 2013 by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.

The recall includes certain varieties of chicken salad, ham salad, potato salad and barbecue beans with beef.

Get the full list of meat-related items included in this recall – click here.

The USDA said the recalled products were distributed to retailers and distributors in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

There is a separate recall of refrigerated, ready-to-eat products also made by Reser’s which are also recalled because of the potential for a Listeria contamination.  Those products were distributed nationwide and in Canada, and sold in retail and food service establishments.

The separate recall involves refrigerated salads that include varieties of cole slaw, potato salad, vegetable salads, pasta salads, seafood salads, dessert salads and beans.  Hundreds of products are included in the recall.  Some of the recalled items are already past their expiration date, and some expire on various dates through March 2014.

Get the full list of ready-to-eat products included in this recall, click here.

The possible contamination problem was discovered through testing by Canadian food inspectors.  A traceback investigation indicated potential cross-contamination from product contact surfaces in the manufacturing facility.

The USDA said no illnesses from any of the recalled products had been reported to the company or to the Food Safety and Inspection Service.

Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis.  Symptoms of that infection include fever and muscle aches, headache, confusion, and sometimes diarrhea and gastrointestinal problems.  The condition can be treated with antibiotics.

Consumers with questions about the recall should contact the Reser’s Fine Foods Consumer Hotline at 1-888-257-7913 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern time.