Hundreds of frozen, refrigerated meat and poultry products recalled over listeria contamination fears

Millions of Americans may be impacted by a 10-million pound meat recall affecting hundreds of products across major retailers, according to a newly-released document.

BrucePac, a company based in Oklahoma, began recalling 9,986,245 total pounds of its ready-to-eat meat and poultry last week. Fears about listeria contamination prompted the recall.

Consumers who don’t recognize the company may think they’re in the clear — but the chicken was distributed in hundreds of different products.

The USDA recently released a 326-page document of all the products affected by the recall, listing hundreds of different items that may contain contaminated meat.

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BrucePac distributes its ready-to-eat meat to a variety of food sellers, from 7-Eleven to Costco to Target and more.

For example, El Monterey Mexican Grill Chicken and Cheese Taquitos with a variety of lot codes and best-by dates are included in the recall.

Certain lots of frozen Trader Joe’s Chicken Chow Mein are also included, as are Good and Gather brand Chicken Tikka Masala products with a lot code of SO58227.

Only items with certain best-by dates or lot codes are affected. Consumers are urged to consult the document and carefully check the list of recalled products.

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The recall began after Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) product testers working under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) found that a product with BrucePac ready-to-eat chicken tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, the bacteria that causes listeria.

Listeria infection can be deadly for older Americans, pregnant women and consumers with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis sufferers may experience symptoms such as “fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms,” the FSIS said.

As of Monday, there have been no reports of illnesses or deaths caused by the recalled products — but officials still urge consumers to check their fridges and freezers for any recalled food.

Consumers and retailers are also asked to check the FSIS’s website for future updates and, if needed, to return or destroy their recalled products. The recall page is found here.