You may recall a recent listeria outbreak due to Boar’s Head meats that killed 10 people. Well, now there’s another huge meat recall at a different company, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service.
BrucePac, which supplies ready-to-eat meat and poultry products to restaurants and institutions, has recalled an astonishing 9,986,245 pounds of meat products.
Not all details have been released yet, but here’s what we know so far.
1. What’s Wrong With the Meat?
Ready-to-eat meat and poultry products produced by BrucePac may be contaminated with Listeria. The problem was discovered during routine testing by the USDA when a finished chicken product tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. Thankfully, there have been no reports of illness yet.
2. What Is Listeria?
Eating food contaminated with Listeria can cause listeriosis, an infection that can be especially serious in the elderly, pregnant women and newborns, and people with weakened immune systems. It causes flu-like symptoms including fever, muscle aches, headaches, and even convulsions. Usually, an infection is treated with antibiotics.
3. What Is BrucePac?
BrucePac is a wholesaler that primarily sells to other businesses and institutions, including restaurants, under the brand names BrucePac, Urban Bruce, City Grillers, and private labels. Those companies use the pre-cooked meats in their own products, which are then served to or purchased by customers. So while you may not have any products labeled BrucePac in your home, you could still have the recalled product under a different name. The USDA is concerned that the recalled product “may be on store shelves or in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers.”
4. Which Products Are Being Recalled?
The 9,986,245 pounds of recalled ready-to-eat meat and poultry products were produced between June 19 and Oct. 8, 2024. The packages will have “51205” or “P-51205” inside the USDA mark of inspection. If you work in a food service setting, check any packages of BrucePac meats.
Unfortunately, because this recall is so large, we do not yet have a full list of product names and package labels. When those are available, the USDA will have the information available on its website.
5. What Should I Do If I Have Recalled BrucePac Meat Products?
Anyone with recalled BrucePac ready-to-eat meat products should throw them away or return them to the place of purchase, according to the USDA. Consumers with questions can contact Jeff Golangco, VP Business Development at BrucePac, at 503-874-3000.
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