SAUSAGE RECALLED IN CINCINNATI

JOANNA RAMEY

WASHINGTON (FNS) -- Copaz Packing Corp., a Cincinnati meat-packing company, has recalled 8,400 pounds of cooked smoked sausage from grocery stores in the Cincinnati area because samples appeared to be undercooked.

While a recall alert by the U.S. Department of Agriculture here said the Partridge Skinless Extra Tender Smoked Sausage made of chicken, pork and beef "could have the potential of causing serious illness if eaten," a company official stressed the recall was only a preventative measure.

"The product is labeled 'fully cooked' and our concern was that it might not be fully cooked," said Charles Robbins, Copaz vice president and general counsel, noting that despite being precooked, consumers usually cook the sausage anyway.

Issued Feb. 14, the recall affected all Kroger Co., Biggs, Thriftway and IGA stores in the Cincinnati area. Robbins said he didn't know how many stores received the sausage, which totaled 9,600 units. As of Feb. 21, 3,000 14-ounce packages had been returned to the company, and there were no reports of illness connected to eating the products, Robbins told SN. The products were put out for sale in mid-January, he said.

A spokesman for Kroger Co. said company stores affected by the recall pulled the products within 24 hours. He didn't know how many products were recalled or if any had been sold. The recall was triggered when a Copaz employee making a routine check of company products at retail stores noticed that the sausage "appeared off color" and might be undercooked, Robbins said.

Robbins said the recalled meat has not been tested for the presence of pathogens, such as E. coli 0157:H7. "The product under question is not subject to E. coli testing nor is Copaz under any obligation to test for E. coli," Robbins said. "E. coli was simply not part of this recall."