East Providence gourmet food company Rome voluntarily recalls Ocean’s Catch crab meat

EAST PROVIDENCE — Rome Gourmet Foods, located in city on Pawtucket Avenue, voluntarily issued a recall of its of Ocean’s Catch brand minced crab meat after routine product sampling by the company determined some of the finished products may have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.

No illnesses have been reported to date, and no other Rhode Island products are involved.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them and return them to the place of purchase for a refund or discard them.

The list of recalled products, are packaged in round plastic containers (tub with snap-on lid), sold as refrigerated, includes:

6-ounce Ocean’s Catch Crab Meat: lot number 101366 with a sell by date before 5/14/14; lot number 101507 with a sell by date before 5/20/14; lot number 101540 with a sell by date before 5/21/14;

8-ounce Ocean’s Catch All Natural Jonah Crab Combo Meat: lot number 101372 with a sell by date before 5/14/14; lot number 101432 with a sell by date before 5/19/14; lot number 101474 with a sell by date before 5/20/14;

16-ounce Ocean’s Catch All Natural Jonah Crab Combo Meat: lot number 101372 with a sell by date before 5/14/14; lot number 101391 with a sell by date before 5/16/14; lot number 101407 with a sell by date before 5/16/14; lot number 101432 with a sell by date before 5/19/14; lot number 101474 with a sell by date before 5/20/14; lot number 101539 with a sell by date before 5/21/14.

The products are distributed nationwide to retail stores including but not limited to: Shaws Supermarkets, Market Basket and Dave’s Market.

Consumers with questions may contact the company’s representative, John F. Whiteside, Jr. at 508-991-3333. Any consumers who believe they may have become ill after eating the products should contact their health care provider.

Rome Packing Co., Inc. is cooperating with the Food and Drug Administration and Rhode Island Department of Health investigation. Rome Packing Co., Inc. has initiated corrective action in their processing plant to prevent this from occurring.