BrucePac, an Oregon-based company, has issued a massive recall of nearly 10 million pounds of meat and poultry products due to potential listeria contamination. The U.S. Agriculture Department detected the bacteria during routine testing at the company’s Durant, Oklahoma facility.
The recall encompasses 75 different ready-to-eat meat and chicken products, including grilled chicken breast strips, produced between June 19 and October 8, 2024. These items were distributed to restaurants, food service vendors, and other locations across the nation.
“The products should be thrown away,” U.S. Agriculture Department officials stated, expressing concern that the affected items may still be in use or stored in refrigerators and freezers. The recalled products have best-by dates ranging from June 19, 2025, to October 8, 2025.
As of now, no illnesses have been reported in connection with this recall.
Listeria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, particularly in vulnerable populations.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that approximately 1,600 people in the United States contract listeriosis annually, with about 260 fatalities.
Symptoms of listeria infection typically include fever, muscle aches, and fatigue. In severe cases, it can lead to stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions. These symptoms may appear anywhere from a few days to 10 weeks after consuming contaminated food.
The CDC warns that listeria infections pose a heightened risk to older adults, individuals with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women.
BrucePac has not yet issued a public statement regarding the recall. The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is urging consumers and food service operators to check their refrigerators and freezers for the affected products.