Giant Eagle Issues a Hash Brown Recall

January 2010

Giant Eagle Inc. issued a voluntary recall of its Giant Eagle and Food Club brands of frozen loose hash brown potatoes due to concerns about possible listeria contamination.

The products, including Giant Eagle Country Style Hash Browns, Western Style Hash Browns, Southern Hash Browns, Diced Hash Browns, and Shredded Hash Browns, were pulled because listeria bacteria was present in non-related products produced at the same plant. When informed of the possible contamination, Giant Eagle hired an independent laboratory for testing that confirmed the presence of bacteria that can cause serious infection.

The Centers for Disease Control has said that the chance of developing food poisoning after consumption of a contaminated product is very slim. Furthermore, Giant Eagle said that the risk of infection from listeria is almost entirely eliminated when the product is cooked as directed. Listeria can cause listeriosis, a potentially fatal disease with flu-like symptoms that is most dangerous to people with weakened immune systems, such as infants and the elderly.