Check your freezer and fridge.
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BrucePac, a company that produces ready-to-eat meat and poultry foods, is recalling nearly 10 million pounds of meat products because they might be contaminated with a bacteria that causes the serious infection listeriosis, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Listeria monocytogenes was found during routine product testing in the company’s Durant, Oklahoma, plant by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. The source of the bacteria was BrucePac’s ready-to-eat chicken, but other products may also contain the potentially harmful bacteria.
The bacteria can cause listeriosis, a rare but serious infection that most often affects older people, pregnant people, newborns, and those with compromised immune systems.
The items, which were distributed to restaurants and institutions nationwide, were produced from June 19 to October 8 this year and have a best-by date from June 19 to Oct. 8, 2025. They are labeled with establishment numbers 51205 or P-51205. The USDA points out that these products may also be on store shelves or in home refrigerators or freezers.
The recall was reported under a Class I certification, the highest USDA recall certification, which means “there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.”
According to the USDA, there have so far been no confirmed reports of negative reactions from people who have eaten any of these products.
What To Do If You Have the Recalled Products at Home
The recall includes 75 chicken and meat products including breasts, strips, patties, and diced chicken. Beef patties and fajita strips manufactured by the company were also recalled.
If you have a product covered under this recall, the USDA says the items should be thrown away or returned to the place where they were purchased. Call your healthcare provider if you suspect related symptoms or an infection.
If you have questions, call BrucePac, at 503-874-3000. For food safety questions, contact USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854 or via email at MPHotline@usda.gov.
Listeria Infection Symptoms
A listeria infection is rare, but can be very serious, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Initial gastrointestinal symptoms usually start with 24 hours of eating contaminated foods and include diarrhea and vomiting. Symptoms typically last for up to three days.
If the bacteria spreads outside of the gastrointestinal system, it is considered an invasive illness. These symptoms usually start within two weeks of eating contaminated products and can include:
For pregnant women, an infection can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infections in newborns.
The infection is most dangerous for people over 65, pregnant people and newborns, and those with compromised immune systems. Other people can also be affected, but it’s rare that their symptoms are serious. The CDC estimates that each year, 1,600 people are infected with Listeria in the United States, and 260 people die from the infection.
Read the original article on Simply Recipes.
