Why are food recalls on the rise?
E.Coli bacteria, metal and even a dead bat were found in the recalled food. In fact, the number of food recalls is increasing. However, this may actually be a good sign. Here’s why.
USA TODAY
A massive recall of nearly 12 million pounds of meat is affecting hundreds of products sold in stores across Florida.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the meat was also distributed to schools.
Routine testing has identified the presence of Listeria monocytogenes on BrucePac ready-to-eat poultry, which may cause listeriosis infection if consumed. Meat is included in hundreds of products sold throughout the United States
The recall was announced Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service as an expansion of an earlier recall issued on Oct. 9, increasing the number of products recalled from 9,986,245 to 11,765,285 pounds.
BrucePac supplies ready-to-eat meat to other companies who then use the meat in a variety of products. As of Thursday morning, the USDA has a 343-page document outlining specific retailers, brands and food products containing the recalled meat.
Here’s what you need to know.
What meat is being recalled?
The ready-to-eat meat and poultry products were produced between May 31, 2024 and October 8, 2024 at the BrucePac facility in Durant, Okalhoma.
Products subject to plant numbers “51205 or P-51205” inside or under the USDA inspection mark, but BrucePac stated that these numbers “are only found on packages that we ship directly to our customers. Consumers will not find this number on their retail packaging of the recalled items.”
The problem was discovered after the Food Safety and Inspection Service conducted routine testing of ready-to-eat poultry products manufactured by BrucePac and confirmed that the products tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, FSIS said.
A subsequent FSIS investigation identified BrucePac ready-to-eat chicken as a source of Listeria monocytogenes.
Where was the meat sent?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said the products were shipped across the country and then distributed to restaurants, schools and institutions.
Which stores in Florida sold the meat and products affected by the recall?
The meat was delivered to several stores in Florida, including:
- Walmart
- Kroger
- Publix
- Objective
- Aldi
- Fresh Amazons
- Trader Joe’s
- 7-Eleven
- Wegmanów
- Save Marta
Which brands are affected by the recall?
The USDA regularly updates the list of affected products. Visit FSIS.gov frequently. As of Thursday morning, the list consisted of 343 pages. Brand names using the meat affected by the recall include:
- Fresh Express
- Rao
- Michelangelo
- Boston Market
- Atkins
- Benefit
- Jenny Craig
- El Monterey
- Don Pancho
- Ready-made meals
- Amazon’s cuisine
- Taylor Farms
- Gigantyczny Orzeł brand
- HEB brand
- Mark Kroger
- Home chef
- Meijer brand
- RaceTrac brand
- Raley
- Save the Mart brand
- Trader Joe’s brand
- Mark Wegman
- Central food
- Red
- Udi
- Great Value brand (Walmart).
- Gordon’s choice
- Michelins
- Good and collecting
- Little Salad Bar
- Signature Select
- Market
- Fresh Amazons
- Contessa Premium Foods
- Whitson Culinary Group
How do you know if you have one of the recalled products?
- View a growing list of products
- Use the search function on your computer (usually Ctrl+F on Windows or Command+F on Mac).
- Enter the product name or brand, plant number or expiration date.
- Press Enter or click the search button.
You’ll find the names of the recalled products, along with photos, batch codes and expiration dates, so you can compare them to the products you purchased.
What to do if you have a recalled product
The USDA advises consumers who purchase these products not to consume them and instead discard them or return them to the place of purchase.
Retailers with products in stock are also advised not to sell the recalled products and to dispose of or return them.
Has anyone gotten sick after eating the recalled meat?
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, there are no confirmed reports of adverse effects caused by the consumption of these products.
Anyone concerned about the disease should contact their doctor.
What is listeria?
According to the CDC, listeria is a bacteria that can contaminate many food products.
What are the symptoms of listeria infection?
Symptoms usually appear one to four weeks after eating contaminated food. Symptoms usually include:
- Fever
- Flu-like symptoms such as muscle aches and tiredness
- Headache
- Stiff neck
- Confusion
- Loss of balance
- Seizures
Who is most at risk from listeria?
The bacteria most often infect pregnant women and their newborns, adults aged 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems. Other people can become infected with listeria, but rarely become seriously ill.
Listeriosis mainly affects pregnant women. According to the Florida Department of Health, approximately 1 in 6 cases of listeriosis are related to pregnancy.
How to avoid listeria?
Specifically for people at high risk, the CDC offers the following suggestions for avoiding Listeria bacteria found in food. Don’t eat:
- Unpasteurized soft cheeses such as queso fresco and brie.
- Unheated cheeses cut in a deli.
- Unheated fermented or dried meats, cold cuts, hot dogs and sausages.
- Ready-made deli salads such as coleslaw and potato, tuna or chicken salad.
- Cooled pâté or meat paste.
- Smoked fish in the fridge.
- Raw or lightly cooked sprouts.
- Cut melon left for more than 2 hours. One hour if exposed to temperatures higher than 90 degrees.
- Cut the melon in the refrigerator for longer than a week.
- Raw (unpasteurized) milk, yogurt and ice cream.
Can listeria in food be killed?
The CDC says listeria can be easily killed by heating food to a high enough temperature. Do not eat sliced meat at any deli unless it has been reheated to an internal temperature of 165 degrees or until hot. Let it cool down before you eat it.
Who is BrucePac?
BrucePac sells products to other companies “that resell, repackage or use our products as ingredients for other foods.”
“Because we sell to other companies that resell, repackage or use our products as ingredients for other foods, we do not have a list of retail products containing our recalled products. Please visit the USDA Product and Labeling Information page for plant numbers on the Consumer Packages page.”
The ready-to-eat meat and poultry products included in this recall were produced in Durant, Oklahoma, between May 31, 2024 and October 8, 2024.
“After receiving information that ready-to-eat chicken tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, we stopped production and immediately recalled all products that may have been affected,” the company announced on its website.
Contributor: Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today Network