Frozen, not-ready-to-eat green chile sold at most retail grocery stores in the the Southwest were recalled Tuesday by the manufacturer, Albuquerque-based Bueno Foods.
In its uncooked, raw state, the green chile might be contaminated with low levels of the potentially deadly Listeria monocytogenes. However, testing performed on samples of the product cooked per the validated cooking instructions on the product’s label showed no Listeria present.
Nevertheless, the company opted to conduct a Class 3 recall of the product, meaning it is unlikely to poise any risk to public health. At the time of the recall action on Tuesday, there had been no reports indicating that the green chile has caused any illness.
Microorganisms including Listeria may naturally be present in not-ready-to-eat agricultural products, including other frozen vegetables, which is why food products such as frozen green chile should be cooked to 165 degrees F. prior to consumption.
Bueno Foods is working to resolve potential issues and expects to have its green chile products back in stores in two weeks.
