USDA issues Class I recall of over 1,500 pounds of imported pork guanciale due to Listeria

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has issued a Class I recall—the agency’s highest warning level—for 1,513 pounds of imported ready-to-eat pork guanciale after a sample tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes during a routine import reinspection. The recall involves two U.S. distributors, Prime Line Distributors, Inc. of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Ferrarini USA, Inc. of Hoboken, New Jersey, and covers products labeled “Guanciale Pork Jowl Product of Italy” with lot number 263311US and a best-if-used-by date of May 16 2027.

Shipments reached food-service and retail locations in New York, New Jersey, Florida, California, Idaho, Illinois, Michigan, and Texas. While no cases of listeriosis have been linked to the meat, officials warn that the contaminated items may be in refrigerators or freezers and advise against serving or selling them. Listeria can cause severe illness, especially in older adults, pregnant women, newborns, and immunocompromised individuals. The recall highlights ongoing vigilance in food import safety.