A national food distributor Friday said it would recall all of the sandwiches it sells in vending machines across the country because of bacteria contamination, but local vendors said Utah wouldn't be affected.

"Some vendors make their own sandwiches and those that don't, buy the sandwiches locally," said a Utah distributor at Dairy Vending.Phil Crowley, president of Southern Kitchens Inc., based in Minnesota, said an analysis of some fresh and frozen sandwiches at the company's plant has shown contamination with listeria monocytogenes, which causes food poisoning.

"Based on these findings, we're immediately recalling all sandwiches on a voluntary basis and have closed the plant until the problem can be corrected," Crowley said. "These sandwiches are sold under the Southern Kitchens label and some private labels.

"There have been no reports of illness, but the bacteria can cause listeriosis, a transient illness with mild to moderate flulike symptoms such as fever, headaches and vomiting," Crowley said.

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Crowley also said the bacteria was "life-threatening" to fetuses, newborns and people whose immune systems are weak.

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