BOSTON -- The Massachusetts Department of Public Health warned consumers Wednesday not to eat any deli-prepared tuna salad purchased from July 26 to Aug. 10, due to a potential contamination of listeria.

Tuna Salad Warning Issued Amid Listeria Scare

Tuna salad manufactured by a local wholesale tuna distributor may be contaminated, the department said in a press release.

The tuna salad has an expiration date of Aug. 19, and was distributed to Stop and Shop Supermarkets, as well as other retail supermarkets and delicatessens. It was produced by Home Made Brand Foods of Newburyport.

The company voluntarily recalled approximately 5,000 pounds of “Ready-to-Eat Tuna Salad” after routine sampling found the product had the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the department said.

Stop and Shop has already removed any affected tuna salad from its deli and refrigerated sections.

However, consumers were advised to discard and not eat any tuna salad purchased from any retail outlet between July 26 and Aug. 10.

“Anyone feeling ill after eating deli-prepared tuna salad during this time period should seek immediate medical attention,” the department said.

Deli-prepared tuna salad purchased after August 10 should be considered safe to eat.

Listeriosis is a serious illness that can be life-threatening to certain individuals. While most cases of severe listeriosis occur in adults with weakened immune systems, pregnant women, the elderly and newborns, infections can occasionally occur in healthy individuals.

Symptoms of listeriosis include fever associated with muscle aches, fatigue, and sometimes gastrointestinal symptoms such as cramping or diarrhea.

No cases of listeriosis infection have been reported from the tuna salad, the department said.