In a significant food safety alert, BrucePac, a leading producer of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products, has issued a massive recall of over 9 million pounds of its products due to potential listeria contamination. The recall, announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), affects nearly 10 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry items produced from June 19, 2024, to October 8, 2024.
The recall is prompted by routine product testing that revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in BrucePac's ready-to-eat poultry products. Subsequent investigations identified BrucePac's ready-to-eat chicken as the source of the contamination. The affected products bear establishment numbers '51205 or P-51205' inside or under the USDA mark of inspection.
According to the FSIS, the recalled products were shipped to various establishments and distributors nationwide and were distributed to restaurants and institutions. The agency has warned that some of these contaminated products may still be available on store shelves or in consumers' refrigerators or freezers.
Consumers are advised not to eat the recalled products and instead to discard them or return them to the place of purchase. Retailers are also instructed not to sell these products and to dispose of or return them accordingly.
Listeriosis, caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, is a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, people with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions. In pregnant women, listeriosis can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery, and life-threatening infections in newborns.
While there have been no confirmed reports of illnesses associated with these BrucePac products, individuals at higher risk for listeriosis who develop flu-like symptoms within two months after consuming possibly contaminated items should seek medical attention and inform their healthcare provider.
The recall comes after a recent nationwide listeria outbreak linked to recalled Boar's Head deli meats, which resulted in 59 hospitalizations and 10 fatalities. This highlights the ongoing concern about listeria contamination in the food industry.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 1,600 people get listeriosis annually in the U.S., with approximately 260 deaths attributed to this infection. The CDC recommends that those at higher risk avoid eating meat sliced at deli counters unless heated to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit or until steaming hot just before serving.
For more information on this recall and how to handle potentially contaminated products, consumers can contact Jeff Golangco, VP Business Development at BrucePac, at 503-874-3000. Additionally, the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline can be reached at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or via email at MPHotline@usda.gov.
