There are lots of recalls of meat in your fridge
A U.S. Department of Agriculture Detection of BrucePac Pseudovector Contaminants in Ready-Meat and Poultry Products
Public health authorities are urging Americans to check their fridges and freezers after the recalls of more than 11 million pounds of ready to eat meat and poultry items.
BrucePac says it is working closely with the US Department of Agriculture to make sure that all necessary actions are taken to ensure a safe food supply.
The FSIS says it detected listeria during routine testing of finished products containing BrucePac poultry, which a subsequent investigation confirmed as the source.
The bacteria can cause a serious infection that is especially dangerous for people who are pregnant, over 65 or have weakened immune systems. There have been no confirmed adverse reactions linked to the products.
The USDA also confirmed this week that the products have been distributed to schools and says it will post a school distribution list on its website once one is available.
The recalled products include salads, wraps, pasta bowls, burritos, enchiladas and many other ready-made frozen and family meals, and come from brands including Fresh Express, Rao’s, Boston Market, Atkins, Dole, ReadyMeals, Taylor Farms, Home Chef and Signature Select.
The stores that carry them include Aldi, Amazon Fresh, Giant Eagle, H-E-B, Kroger, Meijer, Publix, Target, Trader Joe’s, Walmart, Wegmans and 7-Eleven.
A USDA admonition against listeria violations in the last two months: a toll-free USDA hotline and online complaints
The goods produced between May 31 and Oct 8 have establishment numbers either inside or under the USDA mark of inspection. But BrucePac cautioned that the number is only on packages it ships directly to customers, not retail packages.
The list of recalled products is a long one, that’s 335 pages, and the USDA wants people to use the search function to find individual products, stores and brands, and throw them away.
The authorities are urging the restauranteurs to throw out any product that is available in their establishment because they are concerned about it.
It says consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854 or email [email protected], and can report complaints about any meat, poultry or egg products online.
More than 260 people in the US die from listeria each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The infection can be fatal in older adults and people with weakened immune systems, and can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery in pregnant women as well as life-threatening infections in their newborns.
The USDA says that anyone in the higher risk groups who have a flu-like symptom in two months after eating food should get medical help and tell their healthcare provider.
Listeria concerns have been responsible for other recalls in recent months, including an outbreak linked to Boar’s Head deli meat that resulted in 59 hospitalizations and 10 deaths across 19 states this summer. The USDA has since opened an internal investigation into its handling of prior reports of safety violations at Boar’s Head’s Virginia plant.
