Meat company recalls Wal-Mart store brand frozen pizza

A Vernon, Calif.-based meat company is recalling 21,220 pounds of store brand frozen pizza sold under Wal-Mart’s Marketside brand because the product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

RBR Meat Co. recalled about 21,220 pounds of Marketside Extra Large Supreme Pizza that were shipped to retail distribution centers in California, Nevada, Utah and Washington. The product carries the code 20547.

About 6,700 pizzas sold were affected by the recall, according to a report.

Wal-Mart and the USDA said they were unaware of illnesses linked to the pizzas. But there is concern that some product may be frozen and in consumers’ freezers.

The pizza item was produced on Feb. 23. The 50.6-ounce corrugated box containing one shrink wrapped 16-inch pizza is labeled as “Marketside Extra Large Supreme Pizza” with lot code 20547.  

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 1821” inside the USDA mark of inspection. The problem was discovered during routine sampling by the firm.

Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns.