BrucePac, a food company based in Durant, Oklahoma, has issued a massive recall of nearly 10 million pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry products due to potential listeria contamination. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced the recall on October 9, 2024, labeling it as a 'Class I' or 'High Risk' situation.
The recall affects approximately 9,986,245 pounds of RTE meat and poultry products produced by BrucePac from June 19 to October 8, 2024. These products were shipped and distributed nationwide to restaurants and institutions. Some of these recalled items may still be available in stores or in consumers' refrigerators and freezers.
The FSIS discovered the issue after routine product testing revealed that some of BrucePac's RTE poultry products were positive for Listeria monocytogenes. Subsequent investigations identified BrucePac RTE chicken as the source of the contamination.
No illnesses related to the recalled products have been reported, according to the USDA. However, Listeria monocytogenes is particularly dangerous for the elderly, people who are pregnant, and those with compromised immune systems. While most people who contract listeriosis experience only mild symptoms like headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, it can cause serious infections in high-risk groups.
In pregnant women, listeriosis can lead to miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery, or life-threatening infections in newborns. In older adults and persons with weakened immune systems, it can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections.
The USDA urges restaurants and institutions not to serve or use these recalled products and to dispose of them immediately. Consumers are also advised to check their refrigerators and freezers for any of the recalled items and discard them if found.
The FSIS will conduct recall effectiveness checks to ensure that all affected products are properly disposed of. Consumers with questions about the recall can contact Jeff Golangco, VP Business Development at BrucePac, at 503-874-3000 or reach out to the USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854).
For more information on how to handle recalled food products or to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, consumers can visit the Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/.
Recalled Products
The recalled products bear establishment numbers '51205' or 'P-51205' inside or under the USDA mark of inspection. A detailed list of specific recalled products has not yet been released by the FSIS.
Precautions and Actions
Restaurants, institutions, and consumers are advised to take immediate action to prevent potential exposure to Listeria monocytogenes. This includes checking inventory for any of the recalled items and disposing of them properly.
If you have consumed any of these recalled products and experience flu-like symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or convulsions within two months after eating them, seek medical care and inform your healthcare provider about the contaminated food.
