CNN
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A recall of BrucePac ready-to-eat meat and poultry products has been expanded to include nearly 1.8 million pounds of additional products, for a total of more than 11.7 million pounds of products recalled due to possible listeria contamination, it reports US Department of Agriculture. That’s according to the Food Safety and Inspection Service.

The products were distributed nationwide to restaurants and institutions, including ready-to-eat items “on store shelves or in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers,” the agency said. It released a preliminary list of schools that received the products in Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the district of Columbia.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service discovered the problem during routine product testing of finished poultry products, the agency said. BrucePac ready-to-eat chicken was identified as the source of the listeria bacteria, which may have affected other ready-to-eat meat and poultry products produced in Durant, Oklahoma between May 31 and October 8.

Listeria causes listeriosis, the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the United States. Symptoms may include fever, muscle aches and fatigue. An infection can also cause a stiff neck, headache, confusion, or seizures. Those most at risk for serious consequences are older adults, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems.

There have been no confirmed reports of illness linked to the products, but some people who become ill recover without being tested for listeria, and it usually takes weeks for an illness to be linked to an outbreak.

“We strive to provide safe, high-quality products,” says BrucePac. “We are working closely with the USDA to ensure all necessary actions are taken to ensure a safe food supply. We will not resume production until we are confident the problem has been resolved.”

The Food Safety and Inspection Service says it will continue to gather information on the issue. Anyone with questions about the recall can contact BrucePac at 503-874-3000. Consumers with questions about food safety can call the USDA at 888-674-6854.

This recall follows a deadly listeria outbreak linked to recalled Boar’s Head deli meat that is the nation’s largest in more than a decade. There have been 59 hospitalizations and 10 deaths since the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began an investigation in July.