The Costa Rican Ministry of Economy, Industry and Commerce, the Ministry of Health and PriceSmart Costa Rica, announced today through the local press and resolution RV-03-2017 that Gwaltney Harwood Smocked Slice Bacon of 1lb, lot number 7236, item 209235 and expiration date of December 22 was taken out of the shelves due to possible contamination.

Apparently there is risk that the lot was contaminated with the bacteria Listeria Monocytogenes, a pathogenic bacteria that causes the infection listeriosis.

“This is a sanitary order given by our Unit, because during the sampling done as part of our annual control plan, the results of the analysis carried out by the official laboratory of the Costa Rican Institute of Investigation and Teaching of Nutrition and Health (Inciensa) the presence of Listeria Monocytogenes was found in this product”, explained Jennifer Lee, chief of the Unit of Normalization and Control of the Directorate of Regulation of Products of Sanitary Interest of the Ministry of Health.

Apparently, there were a total 697 units sold of a lot that had a total 902 units. A process was started to alert the buyers immediately through different channels of communication.

Those who have not used to the product can return it and the money will be refunded, the invoice is not required since PriceSmart is the main importer of this product. Usually the bacteria is killed during the process of cooking, bacon is usually cooked before it is consumed, but, in the event that the consumer had any health repercussions due to the consumption of this product they have a right to claim a compensation.

The bacteria can cause fever, headaches, stomach problems and vomit.

Around this time last year, PriceSmart had warned about a similar situation with frozen tilapia.