Ajinomoto Windsor Recalls Meat and Poultry Products Due to Listeria Scare as Parent Company Reports 22 Percent Jump in Operating Profits

12 May 2016 --- Ajinomoto Windsor is voluntarily recalling a number of meat and poultry products because of a possible listeria contamination.

The US frozen food company, a subsidiary of Japanese food giant Ajinomoto, is recalling an estimated 47 million pounds of Not-Ready-To-Eat meat and poultry products, the company said.

The health concern was discovered when Ajinomoto Windsor was informed by CRF Frozen Foods that its frozen vegetables used in Ajinomoto Windsor products were involved in the recall.

The Washington-based CRF Frozen Foods voluntarily recalled frozen fruit and vegetables due to an outbreak of listeriosis.

Listeriosis can cause headaches, fever, loss of balance and diarrhoea. It can be particularly serious for pregnant women where it can cause miscarriages and it can be fatal for older people with weak immune systems.

There have no confirmed reports of illness because of eating Ajinomoto Windsor products.

The US Food Safety and Inspection Service has urged consumers who have purchased these products not to eat them but throw them away or return to place of purchase.

Separately, Ajinomoto Windsor's parent company Ajinomoto has reported a 22 percent uplift in operating profits JPY 91 billion ($836 million) for the full year.

For the year ending March 31, the Japanese company reported sales were up 18 percent.

Its improvement in domestic sales and international sales was partly down to an improvement in sales of seasonings and processed foods.

Life Support segment sales decreased JPY 6.7 billion ($61 million) as animal nutrition sales fell, although sales of specialty chemicals grew.

Operating income decreased JPY 2.5 billion ($23 million) across Life Support due to a substantial decrease in income from animal nutrition, although results for specialty chemicals were on par with the previous fiscal year.

Healthcare segment sales increased JPY 9.9 billion ($91 million) due to a substantial increase in sales of pharmaceutical custom manufacturing as well as growth in sales of amino acids for pharmaceuticals and foods, despite a decrease in sales of pharmaceuticals.

Operating income increased JPY 2.2 billion ($21 million) with a substantial increase in income from pharmaceutical custom manufacturing as well as an increase in income from amino acids for pharmaceuticals and foods, despite a substantial decrease in income from pharmaceuticals.