Oscar Mayer chicken strip recall expanded: USDA

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Federal agriculture officials on Wednesday said the Kraft Foods contractor Carolina Culinary Foods has expanded its recall of cooked Oscar Mayer/Louis Rich chicken breast cutlets and strips because of ongoing concerns some packages may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

About 2.8 million pounds of meat will be taken off the market, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said. The West Columbia, South Carolina, company first agreed to a smaller recall on February 18 after an inspection found the bacteria in a single package.

So far, federal officials have received no reports of illnesses associated with the products which were distributed to retail establishments nationwide.

Kraft said it opted to expand the recall after it sampled more product at a non government laboratory.

Contaminated meat could bring high fever, headaches, neck stiffness and nausea. Healthy individuals are not usually susceptible to the illness but infants, the elderly or people with compromised immune systems are more likely to get sick.

The following food items are subject to the recall, USDA said:

Packages with the establishment number "P-19676" inside the USDA mark of inspection with a "Use by" date earlier than "28

MAY 2007."

These include:

*six-ounce packages of "Oscar Mayer/Louis Rich Chicken Breast Strips with Rib Meat, Southwestern Seasoned."

*six-ounce packages of "Oscar Mayer/Louis Rich Chicken Breast Strips with Rib Meat Grilled."

*six-ounce packages of "Oscar Mayer/Louis Rich Chicken Restaurant Style Breaded Chicken Breast Strips."

*six-ounce packages of "Oscar Mayer/Louis Rich Chicken Breast Strips with Rib Meat Italian Style."

*six-ounce packages of "Oscar Mayer/Louis Rich Oven Roasted Chicken Breast Cuts with Rib Meat."

*six-ounce packages of "Oscar Mayer/Louis Rich Chicken, Honey Roasted Chicken Breast Cuts with Rib Meat."

*12-ounce packages of "Oscar Mayer/Louis Rich Chicken Breast Strips with Rib Meat Grilled."

*12-ounce packages of "Oscar Mayer/Louis Rich Chicken Breast Strips with Rib