The USDA names schools that could be affected by the recall of 11.7 million pounds of meat and poultry due to listeria concerns

CNN
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According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a recall of BrucePac ready-to-eat meat and poultry products has expanded to include nearly 1.8 million pounds of additional products, for a total of more than 11.7 million pounds of products recalled due to possible listeria contamination, the Food Safety and Inspection Service says .

The products were distributed to restaurants and institutions nationwide, including ready-to-eat items “on store shelves or in consumers' refrigerators or freezers,” the agency said. A preliminary list of schools receiving the products has been released in Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District received from Colombia.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service discovered the problem during routine product testing of finished poultry products, the agency said. The source of the Listeria bacteria was identified as ready-to-eat BrucePac chicken, which may have infected other ready-to-eat meat and poultry products manufactured in Durant, Oklahoma, from May 31 to October 8.

Listeria causes listeriosis, the third leading cause of death from foodborne illnesses in the United States. Symptoms may include fever, muscle pain and fatigue. An infection can also cause neck stiffness, headaches, confusion, or seizures. Older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are most at risk for serious consequences.

There are no confirmed reports of illnesses linked to the products, but some people who become ill recover without being tested for listeria, and it usually takes weeks for an illness to be linked to an outbreak.

“We are committed to providing safe, high quality products,” says BrucePac. “We are working closely with the USDA to ensure all necessary measures are taken to ensure a safe food supply. We will only resume production once we are sure the problem has been resolved.”

The Food Safety and Inspection Service says it is continuing to collect information on this issue. Anyone with questions about the recall can contact BrucePac at 503-874-3000. Consumers with food safety questions can call the USDA at 888-674-6854.

This recall follows a deadly listeria outbreak linked to recalled Boar's Head deli meat, the nation's largest in more than a decade. There have been 59 hospitalizations and 10 deaths since the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began an investigation in July.