BrucePac Meat Recall: Contaminated Meat Sent to Schools

Schoolchildren may be at risk of listeria infection in connection with the recall of millions of pounds of contaminated meat and poultry, after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced Tuesday that the meat had been distributed to schools.

The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) also said the recall affected nearly 12 million pounds of meat, up from the previously reported 10 million pounds.

The recalled products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenesBacteria that can cause serious or fatal infections in some people, especially older adults, people with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their babies.

The FSIS has assigned the recall the highest level of risk: Class I, which is defined on its website as “a health hazard situation in which there is a reasonable probability that use of the product will cause serious adverse health effects or death.”

The recall was initially announced after FSIS found listeria during routine testing on a product containing ready-to-eat chicken provided by Oregon-based BrucePac, and further investigation confirmed that the chicken was the source of the contamination.

BrucePac supplies meat and poultry products to a variety of retailers, brands and establishments – including restaurants, schools and stores – many of which use the products in prepared meals.

FSIS has raised concerns that these products could be stored in schools, restaurants and other establishments, as well as in consumers' refrigerators and freezers.

Which schools and how many may be affected by the recall is not yet available – but FSIS has released information about the affected retail locations.

FSIS urges that all recalled products should not be served, but should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

Listeria is a strain of bacteria that can cause listeriosis infection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has listed it as the third leading cause of death from foodborne illnesses in the United States, accounting for approximately 260 deaths each year.

Symptoms of listeriosis usually appear within 24 hours of eating contaminated food and include diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

However, the infection can take weeks to appear and can spread beyond the intestines, causing further symptoms such as fever, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions.

Listeriosis can cause pregnancy complications, including miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, or a life-threatening infection of the baby.

The affected products were manufactured by BrucePac between May 31, 2024 and October 8, 2024 at the BrucePac facility in Oklahoma and subsequently distributed throughout the United States for sale, delivery or use in other products.

The recalled meat may bear establishment numbers 51205 or P-51205 within or below the USDA inspection mark, but FSIS clarified Friday that some recalled products may bear different establishment numbers depending on the method of distribution and processing.

Newsweek recently reported that the recall is affecting a number of major grocery chains, including Walmart, Kroger, Target, Amazon Fresh, Aldi and Trader Joe's.

FSIS has released a full list of affected products: a 345-page searchable document with images of product labels and additional information to help customers verify whether a product is safe.

A separate recall of Reser's Fine Foods taco kits was also announced earlier this week because the company used BrucePac as a supplier.

Newsweek has reached out to BrucePac and the FSIS for comment.

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