October 15, 2010
Tyson suspends Zemco plant ops after beef recall
Tyson Foods has temporarily suspended operations at its Zemco deli meats plant in Buffalo, New York, after a sample of roast beef analyzed by the Georgia Department of Agriculture was found to contain the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes.
Zemco Industries, a deli-meats plant owned by Tyson Foods, had voluntarily recalled approximately 380,000 pounds of roast beef and ham in late August that may have been contaminated with the bacteria.
"Operations at our Buffalo deli-meats plant have been temporarily suspended since October 12 as a result of USDA activities following the plant's voluntary deli-meat recall in August," said Tyson spokesman Gary Mickelson. "We're working diligently to address this matter, since food safety and quality are essential to the continued success of our deli-meats business," he said.
Deli meats produced at the plant are fully cooked to destroy bacteria and contain ingredients that inhibit bacterial growth. "The plant also uses what we call our Sentinel Site Program, a food-safety monitoring system designed to help us identify and correct any food-safety concerns," he said.
Mickelson said the temporary suspension currently affects about 480 of the 560 people employed at the plant.
