BrucePac Recalls Ready-To-Eat Meat and Poultry Products Due to Possible Listeria Contamination

IMPORTANT NOTICE: This recall encompasses a wide range of products and product categories. Your agency MUST review the entire recall document to ensure that no contaminated products make their way to neighbors.

While the Food Bank would not have distributed these contaminated products, there is a high likelihood that agencies received now-recalled food items directly from stores including - but not limited to - Target, TOPS, Wegmans, Trader Joes and Aldi.

When in doubt, throw it out!

WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2024 – BrucePac, a Durant, Okla. establishment, is recalling approximately 11,765,285 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry products that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.
 
The ready-to-eat meat and poultry items were produced from May 31, 2024, to October 8, 2024. These products were shipped to other establishments and distributors nationwide then distributed to restaurants, schools and institutions. Information regarding product labels and the list of products will be provided when available. 

The products subject to recall bear establishment numbers "51205 or P-51205" inside or under the USDA mark of inspection.

The problem was discovered after FSIS performed routine product testing of finished product containing RTE poultry products produced by BrucePac and confirmed those products positive for Listeria monocytogenes. Subsequent FSIS investigation identified BrucePac RTE chicken as the source of the Listeria monocytogenes.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider.

Consumption of food contaminated with L. monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns. Less commonly, persons outside these risk groups are affected.

Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract. In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn. In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics. Persons in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell the health care provider about eating the contaminated food.
 
FSIS is concerned that some product may be available for use in restaurants, institutions, schools and other establishments. These other establishments may have used affected meat and poultry in RTE products that may be on store shelves or in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. Restaurants, institutions, schools and other establishments are urged not to serve or use these products. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be added to this page.

Media and consumers with questions regarding the recall can send an email to bprecallinfo@brucepac.com or contact Seth Leeper, Recall Coordinator, at 503-874-3000.

Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or send a question via email to MPHotline@usda.gov. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/.

PLEASE NOTE: This recall also impacts products regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Please check the FDA website for additional products. FSIS regulated products and label information is available via the link below.