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    • About £11.8m of recalled BrucePac is in schools
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    About £11.8m of recalled BrucePac is in schools

    Vaseline Posted on

    An additional 1.8 million pounds of product was added to the major BrucePac recall, totaling nearly 12 million pounds. The USDA says some of the meat was sent to schools.

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    The multimillion-pound recall of BrucePac meat announced last week has been expanded again as the U.S. Department of Agriculture continues to identify and add potentially contaminated items to the recall list.

    Initially reported without a product list on Oct. 9 as a recall for 9,986,245 pounds of meat and poultry due to possible listeria contamination, the number increased by another 1,779,040 pounds on Wednesday, increasing the weight to a total of 11.8 million pounds. The update also revealed that some of the recalled products have been distributed to schools.

    The USDA released a continually growing label and product list with photos on Oct. 11, which as of Thursday is 343 pages long. Although Wednesday’s update included a warning that potentially contaminated BrucePac meat may be in U.S. schools, the USDA’s Food and Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) did not have a list or further information on the school locations as of Thursday afternoon.

    “FSIS continues to collect distribution information and is committed to ensuring consumers have the information necessary to effectively identify recalled products,” an editor said in the latest update.

    BrucePac and the USDA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    In a statement about the recall on its website, BrucePac, which has temporarily halted production at its facility in Durant, Oklahoma, said: “We are committed to providing safe, high-quality products.”

    “We are working closely with the USDA to ensure all necessary actions are taken to ensure a safe food supply,” the company said. “We will not resume production until we are confident the problem has been resolved.”

    ‘Not worth the risk,’ says food safety advocate

    In a perfect world, companies like BrucePac would have full visibility and surveillance of their products and wherever they are disturbed, food safety attorney Bill Marler told USA TODAY on Thursday. But the reality, he says, is that tracking becomes nearly impossible when manufacturers like BrucePac sell to sellers who then turn around and sell to other sellers until the product eventually ends up on a salad in a supermarket.

    “I think the only real big risk here is that we see some sort of rolling recall where they keep adding things,” he said. “The incubation period is up to 70 days, so unfortunately people who consumed it weeks ago or will consume it are still at risk.”

    This loss of visibility is why consumers are seeing a slow and incomplete rollout of recall information, he said.

    “It just goes to show how important it is that manufacturers have good manufacturing practices so that you don’t have this problem to begin with,” he said. “It also underscores the fact that we need more testing for listeria in ready-to-eat products, not less, and FSIS has cut back on that.”

    Because the recall is so large and includes meat used in a variety of prepared and frozen foods, such as salads, wraps and other prepared products, Marler suggests that consumers follow the tried-and-true adage: “When in doubt, throw it out.” It will remain a challenge to compile a comprehensive list of affected items, he said, so anything ready-to-eat that contains chicken or beef and may be part of the recall should be thrown away and not consumed .

    “It may seem wasteful in some ways if it doesn’t end up being contaminated, but the risk of listeria is so high,” he said. “It’s just not worth the risk.”

    What types of products are being recalled?

    Sandwiches, wraps and salads are the main prepared foods affected by the recall. Frozen meals containing chicken products, ranging from pasta and burritos to bowls and family meals, are also affected.

    The prepared meat and poultry items were produced from May 31, 2024 to October 8, 2024. The products were shipped to other facilities and distributors nationwide and then distributed to restaurants, schools and institutions.

    The recalled products are labeled with location numbers “51205 or P-51205” within or below the USDA inspection mark.

    Find a complete and growing list at fsis.usda.gov/recalls.

    Which stores sell products on the recall list?

    The USDA continues to update the list of affected products and suggests checking back regularly at fsis.usda.gov/recalls. This list may not be exhaustive.

    • Walmart
    • Kroger
    • Albertsons
    • Publix
    • Goal
    • Aldi
    • Amazon verse
    • Trader Joe’s
    • 7-Eleven
    • HAVE
    • Meijer
    • Giant Eagle
    • Wegmans
    • Save Mart

    Which brand names are affected by the recall?

    The USDA continues to update the list of affected products and suggests checking back regularly at fsis.usda.gov/recalls. This list may not be exhaustive.

    • Fresh Express
    • Raos
    • Michael Angelo’s
    • Boston Market
    • Atkins
    • Crazy
    • Jenny Craig
    • El Monterey
    • by Don Pancho
    • Ready-made meals
    • Amazon kitchen
    • Taylor Farms
    • brand Giant Eagle
    • HEB brand
    • Kroger brand
    • Home chef
    • Brand Meijer
    • brand RaceTrac
    • Raley’s
    • Save the Mart brand
    • Trader Joe’s brand
    • The Wegman brand
    • Central dining
    • Red
    • Udis
    • Great Value Brand (Walmart).
    • Gordon Choice
    • Michelinas
    • Good & collect
    • Small salad bar
    • Select signature
    • Market side
    • Amazon verse
    • Contessa Premium Food
    • Whitsons’ culinary group
    • Bell & Evans
    • Fusion
    • HMS
    • KitchenSize
    • Mother’s meals

    What should you do if you have a recalled product?

    The USDA advises consumers who have purchased these products not to eat them, but to throw them away or return them to the place of purchase. Retailers stocking the products are also advised not to sell recalled products and to discard or return them.

    There have been no confirmed reports of adverse events associated with these products, but anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact their healthcare provider.

    What is listeriosis or listeria poisoning?

    Listeriosis, or listeria poisoning, is a foodborne bacterial infection usually caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. It is considered a serious condition and can be dangerous or life-threatening, especially for older adults, people with weak immune systems, and pregnant people.

    Symptoms of listeriosis or listeria poisoning

    Listeriosis, or listeria poisoning, is a foodborne bacterial infection usually caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. It is considered a serious condition and can be dangerous or life-threatening, especially for older adults, people with weak immune systems, and pregnant people.

    According to the USDA, symptoms include:

    • Fever
    • Muscle pain
    • Headache
    • Stiff neck
    • Confusion
    • Loss of balance
    • Convulsions
    • Diarrhea
    • Other gastrointestinal symptoms
    • Miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth and/or life-threatening infection in newborn babies
    • Dead

    People in higher risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months of eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell the healthcare provider about eating the contaminated food, the USDA said.

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