BrucePac is recalling nearly 10 million pounds of meat due to listeria

A company is recalling nearly 10 million pounds of meat and poultry products produced at an Oklahoma plant because they may be contaminated with listeria bacteria, which can cause illness and death.

BrucePac of Woodburn, Oregon, recalled the roughly 5,000 tons of ready-to-eat food this week after U.S. Department of Agriculture officials discovered listeria in poultry samples during routine testing. Further testing identified BrucePac chicken as the source. The recall includes 75 meat and chicken products.

Foods include products such as grilled chicken breast strips made at the company's facility in Durant, Oklahoma. They were manufactured between June 19 and Oct. 8 and shipped to restaurants, food vendors and other locations nationwide, government officials said.

The products have a best-before date of June 19, 2025 to October 8, 2025. Officials said they were concerned the food may still be available for consumption or stored in refrigerators or freezers. The products should be thrown away, they added.

There are no confirmed reports of illness related to the recall.

Eating foods contaminated with listeria can lead to potentially serious illness. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1,600 people in the U.S. become infected with Listeria bacteria each year, and about 260 die from it.

Listeria infections typically cause fever, muscle pain, and fatigue and can cause neck stiffness, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions. Symptoms can appear quickly or up to 10 weeks after eating contaminated food. The infections are particularly dangerous for older people, people with weakened immune systems or pregnant women.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Science and Educational Media Group of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. The AP is solely responsible for all content.