Hundreds of products sold at some of the nation’s largest grocery chains, including Walmart (WMT), Kroger (KR), 7-Eleven (SVNDY), and Trader Joe’s, have been recalled amid concerns about listeria contamination.
BrucePac, an Oklahoma-based producer of prepared meats, recalled nearly 10 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products last week. The product recall comes after routine testing by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) found that some BrucePac products tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium that can cause serious infections.
An FSIS investigation later determined that BrucePac ready-to-eat chicken was the source of Listeria monocytogenes. In response, the company recalled ready-to-eat meat and poultry products produced from June 19 to October 8. Recalled products are marked with plant numbers 51205 or P-51205 inside or under the USDA mark of inspection.
A complete list of the dozens of affected brands available nationwide can be found here. The offer includes salads, pastas, bowls and wraps.
There are no reports of illnesses associated with the recall at this time.
Additionally, FSIS is concerned that some of the recalled products may have been used by restaurants and other establishments and that these other businesses may have used the affected meat and poultry in their own ready-to-eat products and may still have been on store shelves.
In a separate recall, Oregon-based Reser’s Fine Foods voluntarily recalled some of its meal kits because they consisted of chicken supplied by BrucePac, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“Our goal is to provide safe, high-quality products. We are working closely with USDA to ensure all necessary actions are taken to ensure a safe food supply. We will not resume production until we are certain the issue has been resolved,” BrucePac said in a statement posted on their website.
The recall comes just months after Boar’s Head Provisions Co., a Virginia-based deli meat supplier, recalled several deli products in late July after they were linked to listeria outbreaks in multiple states. The recall grew to cover millions of pounds of affected products, and Boar’s Head went so far as to close the plant with numerous violations. Due to the epidemic, at least 10 people died and dozens more required hospitalization.
Listeria monocytogenes can cause serious listeriosis infections in young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. The FDA has warned that listeria infections can cause miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women.
Even among healthy people, listeria infection can cause symptoms such as high fever, headaches, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 1,600 people in the U.S. contract listeriosis each year, resulting in approximately 260 deaths annually.
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