Due to potential Salmonella contamination, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a recall of the HVP product on March 4, 2010. A recall of the beef product was warranted because the HVP ingredient was added after Salmonella prevention steps were applied.
For a complete list of the affected products see the link below.
Ruiz Foods Inc, distributes RTE beef product nationwide to retail and food service establishments. Only those products distributed for retail sale are subject to recall. All product distributed to food service establishments undergoes a lethality treatment to kill Salmonella before consumption. FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with the consumption of these products. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact a physician.
According to FDA's March 4, 2010 release, FDA conducted an investigation after a customer of an FDA regulated firm reported finding Salmonella in the HVP ingredient. This resulted in the subsequent recall of the contaminated HVP products.
Consumption of food contaminated with Salmonella can cause salmonellosis, one of the most common bacterial foodborne illnesses. Salmonella infections can be life-threatening, especially to those with weak immune systems, such as infants, the elderly, and persons with HIV infection or undergoing chemotherapy. The most common manifestations of salmonellosis are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within eight to 72 hours. Additional symptoms may be chills, headache, nausea and vomiting that can last up to seven days.