Pasco Processing LLC is recalling a corn-poblano pepper blend distributed by J.R. Simplot Co. to suppliers of western Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants because of a potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration said.
There have been no reports of illness linked to the 2,087 cases of corn and peppers recalled by Pasco, Wash.-based Pasco Processing, the FDA said last week.
Chris Arnold, a spokesman for Denver-based, 1,001-unit Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc., said Monday that the chain has removed and replaced all the corn from its restaurants in California, Arizona and Nevada.
“The safety and well-being of our customers is our highest priority," he said. “When we were notified by a supplier that one batch of corn was potentially affected, we removed all of the corn from our restaurants in California, Arizona and Nevada out of an abundance of caution. All of that corn has been accounted for and none of it is in our restaurants.”
“The supplier’s records also show that no corn that was shipped to our restaurants was affected, and there have been no illnesses reported as a result of this incident,” Arnold continued. “All of the affected restaurants have been restocked with fresh corn that is safe to eat, and we are working with our supplier to better understand how this happened and the steps that can be taken to prevent a repeat of this situation.”
The FDA said the corn and poblano product was recalled based on a confirmed positive finding of Listeria contamination resulting from routine testing by the manufacturer. It said none of the products turned out during the production periods from which samples were found to contain Listeria were delivered to restaurants and that the other products were being recalled out of caution.
According to the FDA, the product was packaged in 20-pound bulk cases labeled as follows: Corn and Poblano Blend; 10071179 017738; 20 lbs. Net Wt.; Distributed by J. R. Simplot Co., Boise, Idaho 83707.
The recall extends only to products coded 3901741007 and 3901751007 that were sold to two foodservice distributors in California and one in Arizona and further distributed to Chipotle locations, the FDA said. The FDA confirmed that the recalled product has been removed from the Chipotle locations.
Pasco Processing LLC and Chipotle are working closely with the FDA, the Washington-based agency said.
Click here to read the full notice of the recall.
Listeria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in the young or elderly or others who are frail or have weakened immune systems, and can cause stillbirth and miscarriages in pregnant women.
Contact Alan J. Liddle at [email protected].