Saturday, April 21, 2001

By B.R. Sargent, Seoul bureau

YONGSAN GARRISON — Meat from the Bar-S Food Co. was pulled from commissary shelves throughout the Pacific on Thursday because of possible listeria bacteria contamination.

The voluntary recall is a precautionary measure, according to Col. Jim Blagg, commander of the 106th Medical Detachment here.

"The company has not confirmed the presence of the bacteria," said Blagg.

According to the company’s Web site, "No illnesses have been associated with these products."

Yongsan Garrison and other Area II commissaries and shoppettes pulled a variety of Bar-S meat items marked 471, PS-471, P-213 and P-1843 from the shelves before the store opened Tuesday morning. Area II facilities pulled approximately 1,600 separate packages valued at about $3,800, said Blagg. Yongsan officials could not verify when other base or post facilities followed suit. All recalled Bar-S meats have a use-by date of June 7 or earlier.

Peter Conrady, zone manager for the Defense Commissary Agency on Okinawa said the meats have been pulled from the shelves of all commissaries in Japan. He said 202 cases of meat valued at $7,064 were removed from distribution center at Camp Kinser.

On Okinawa, the meat was ordered removed from all local Ivano Corp. stores, which sold the sausages produced by Bar-S Foods at three supermarkets in Okinawa City, and Urasoe.

Sausages and hams from Bar-S Foods were also distributed by Hoei Trading Co. in Tokyo, which supplies restaurants. The Japanese Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry ordered the company to recall all meat products from the Oklahoma company last Friday, following a recall order by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. About 124 tons of Bar-S meat was recalled from the Japanese outlets.

The removed items included Bar-S Extra Lean Honey Cure Cooked Ham, Extra Lean Sliced Ham, Sliced Bologna, Hot Links, Hot Links 8 Count, Coronado, Chuck Wagon, E-Z Carve, and Thrifty Brand sliced lunchmeat, smoked ham, franks, and smoked sausage.

"There has been no loss to the government," Conrady said. "We get reimbursed by the supplier, who buys the meat back and has it destroyed."

He said customers who purchased Bar-S brand meats should return the items to their local commissaries for refund.

No food poisoning incidents were reported on Okinawa.

Listeria is present in soil, dust, water, and almost all animals, according to information published on the Centers for Disease Control Web site. Listeria is so prevalent, that we "probably all eat some of it from time to time and never know it," Blagg said.

The bacterium has been found in uncooked meats and vegetables, and in processed foods that become contaminated after processing, such as soft cheeses and cold cuts.

The recalled meats are pre-cooked, said Blagg. But if the products were further cooked, that would kill the bacteria.

"It’s very, very rare to actually have a disease (listeriosis) from eating meat with this bacteria in it," said Blagg. He said people with normal immune systems are usually not affected by the bacteria.

At greatest risk from exposure are infants, and adults suffering from cirrhosis of the liver, AIDS, or those treated with drugs such as corticosteroids. Approximately 2,500 persons in the United States become seriously ill with listeriosis each year, says the CDC. About 500 die.

The elderly, chemotherapy patients, and pregnant women under stress also are highly sensitive to the bacteria.

Those who bought the meat before the recall are asked to return it to the store of purchase. For more information regarding listeria, contact the local veterinary services office.

A list of recalled products can be found on the company’s Web site at: http://bar-s.com/product_recall_list.htm.

David Allen contributed to this report.

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