Listeria infection ranks as the third leading cause of death from foodborne illnesses in the United States.
BrucePac, a manufacturer of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products, has issued a recall of over 9.9 million pounds due to potential listeria contamination, as announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Wednesday.
Numerous recalled items have been distributed to restaurants and institutions across the country. These affected products may have been included in ready-to-eat items found “on store shelves or in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers,” or utilized by restaurants and other facilities, according to the USDA.
As of now, there have been “no confirmed reports of adverse reactions from consuming these products,” the USDA reported on Wednesday. However, some individuals who fall ill may recover without being tested for listeria, and it typically takes weeks to connect an illness to an outbreak. Symptoms of listeria infection can take up to 10 weeks to manifest.
The USDA advises, “Restaurants, institutions, and other establishments should refrain from serving or using these products. These items should be discarded or returned to the place of purchase.” Anyone who is concerned about potential illness should consult a healthcare provider.
This recall comes in the wake of a severe listeria outbreak linked to previously recalled Boar’s Head deli meat, marking the largest outbreak in the nation in over a decade. Since the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began its investigation in July, there have been 59 hospitalizations and 10 reported deaths.
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