Over 13,000 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken from a Georgia processor heads to the trash bin due to potential listeria contamination, raising fresh alarms about food safety lapses under lingering federal oversight.
Story Snapshot
Suzanna’s Kitchen recalls 13,720 pounds of grilled chicken fillets produced on October 14, 2025, after a third-party lab detected Listeria monocytogenes.
Products shipped to food service operators in seven states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Ohio.
No confirmed illnesses reported, but Listeria kills 172 Americans yearly, hitting vulnerable families hardest.
The company’s second recall in months follows a November misbranding issue, signaling possible hygiene failures.
USDA FSIS urges immediate disposal; operators must check lot code 60104 P1382 287 5 J14 and establishment P-1382.
Recall Details and Product Identification
Suzanna’s Kitchen in Norcross, Georgia, initiated the recall of 13,720 pounds of ready-to-eat grilled chicken breast fillets. Production occurred on October 14, 2025. A third-party laboratory detected Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Products come in 10-pound cases containing two 5-pound bags. The specific lot code is 60104 P1382 287 5 J14, with establishment number P-1382 inside the USDA mark of inspection. Distribution targeted food service operators, including restaurants and cafeterias, not retail stores.
A Georgia-based food company has recalled thousands of pounds of ready-to-eat chicken products, which were sold in seven different states, after determining the products may have been contaminated with listeria. https://t.co/4ipgY5Mpvv
Listeria monocytogenes thrives in soil, water, sewage, vegetation, and animals. It survives refrigeration and contaminates food during processing, packing, transport, or storage in unsanitary conditions. The CDC ranks it as the third-leading cause of foodborne illness deaths in the U.S., with 1,250 cases and 172 fatalities annually. Symptoms appear 3 to 70 days after exposure, starting with fever and nausea but escalating to severe neurological issues. Vulnerable groups—pregnant women, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals—face the gravest threats to family health.
Stakeholders and Regulatory Response
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service announced the recall on a recent Friday, directing food service operators in seven states to check inventories and discard affected products. Suzanna’s Kitchen has not commented publicly despite media outreach. Operators in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Ohio bear responsibility for removal. FSIS emphasizes Listeria’s persistence in production environments, urging immediate action to prevent outbreaks. The FDA and CDC provide data underscoring the bacterium’s severity.
Prior Recall Raises Pattern Concerns
This marks Suzanna’s Kitchen’s second recall in quick succession. Last month, the company pulled 62,550 pounds of fully cooked, bone-in breaded chicken due to undeclared soy allergen, shipped nationwide to restaurants. FSIS again advised disposal, with no illnesses reported. The repeat incidents prompt questions about the processor’s hygiene standards and quality controls. Heightened FSIS scrutiny now looms, potentially classifying the firm as a repeat offender amid demands for stricter industry vigilance.
Impacts on Businesses and Communities
Food service operators face short-term supply disruptions and disposal costs for about 7 tons of product. Economic losses remain minor compared to the prior recall but add pressure on small businesses already strained by inflation and regulations. Long-term, poultry processors must ramp up lab testing for ready-to-eat items. The event reinforces food safety awareness, protecting American families from preventable risks. No political fallout noted, though it highlights FSIS’s role in safeguarding consumers under President Trump’s renewed focus on competent federal enforcement.
