10 Million Pounds Of Ready-To-Eat Meat Recalled For Possible Listeria

Oklahoma-based company BrucePac issued a Class I — High or Medium Risk recall for nearly 10 million pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry after a Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) routine inspection for Listeria monocytogenes (commonly known as listeria) revealed contamination in poultry products. The government agency believes contaminated meat could have been shipped to restaurants as well as "institutions and other establishments," per an FSIS announcement.

Affected products include those with the establishment numbers M51205, V51205, or P-51205; these numbers are located inside or directly under the mark of inspection by the FDA. Any items found bearing the BrucePac label with these establishment numbers are to be thrown away immediately. At this time it's not known exactly what types of products may be contaminated, but it could include items like rotisserie chicken or deli chicken meat (deli meat is the source of 90% of listeria cases, and listeria-contaminated pre-cooked chicken caused one death back in 2021, for those keeping track).

Luckily, no one has reported becoming ill from ingesting these RTE chicken and other meat products, but listeriosis is a serious bacterial infection that can be especially dangerous to people in four main groups: Those who have weakened immune systems (due to cancer, HIV/AIDS, or even diabetes), the elderly, people who are pregnant, and newborn babies. For pregnant people, listeriosis infection can disrupt the pregnancy, and for older adults and those with immune deficiencies, listeriosis can cause serious sickness and even death.

The symptoms of listeriosis include gastrointestinal distress, stiff neck and headache, all over body aches, fever, and loss of balance, and these flu-like symptoms can occur up to two months after the consumption of contaminated product. There is good news, though: If diagnosed, listeria infection can be treated with antibiotics. People in the aforementioned four groups who experience any of these symptoms after eating the contaminated meat should seek medical attention and make sure to tell the doctor about what they ate.