Ready-to-Eat Sandwiches Distributed to Schools Recalled

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Let’s Do Lunch, Inc., dba Integrated Food Service (IFS), is voluntarily recalling certain ready-to-eat sandwiches because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. No illnesses have been reported to date.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism, which 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 monocytogenes infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

The recall is being conducted in response to routine FDA environmental sampling w h i c h  found Listeria monocytogenes on multiple food contact surfaces where the products were produced on several different occasions. The company is working closely with FDA and independent food safety experts to continue to investigate the root cause and take appropriate corrective measures.

The products were distributed nationwide directly to a number of school districts and to foodservice distributors that serve school districts. Foods produced in the plant are unlikely to still be in commerce and due to school summer breaks, any foods remaining in frozen storage can swiftly be returned to the company. No retail products are affected by this recall.

Those school foodservice distributors were located in the following states: AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, NC, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI.   On the IFS websitedisclaimer icon, customers will find a list of recalled products and the company will post a list of school districts that received the products being recalled. The list will be updated daily as further information becomes available.

The company is thoroughly communicating the details of the recall and is notifying customers and distributors to hold any product that may be in frozen storage until arrangements can be made to return or destroy the product. IFS will work closely with schools and school foodservice distributors until the company can assure that no recalled product remains in their locations.

Any school district that believes it may have product still in frozen storage that is affected by this recall should contact the IFS recall coordinator at (800) 560-9999 between the hours of 8AM and 5PM Pacific time, Monday through Friday, or at recall@integratedfoodservice.com for return or disposal instructions.