Almost 10 million pounds of meat recalled as listeria fears mount

Almost 10 million pounds of meat has been recalled by the US Department of Agriculture following concerns they may be contaminated with Listeria.

The ready-to-eat poultry and meat products are being recalled by BrucePac, an establishment from Durant, Oklahoma, after tests found products were positive for Listeria monocytogenes.

According to the USDA, the items were produced from June 19 to October 8 and shipped to other establishments and distributors nationwide, before being distributed to restaurants and institutions.

Approximately 9,986,245 pounds of product were thought to have been contaminated, the organization said. It added that information regarding product labels and the list of products will be provided when available.

“The problem was discovered after USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) performed routine product testing of finished product containing RTE [ready-to-eat] poultry products produced by BrucePac and confirmed those products positive for Listeria monocytogenes,” the department wrote.

“Subsequent FSIS investigation identified BrucePac RTE chicken as the source of the Listeria monocytogenes.”

The products subject to recall bear establishment numbers "51205 or P-51205" inside or under the USDA mark of inspection.

The USDA added that so far there had been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of the contaminated products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider.

Listeria infection is caused by eating food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. According to the Center for Disease Control, Listeria is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the US. The CDC estimates that each year in the US, 1,600 people are infected with Listeria, and 260 people die from the infection.

Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms.

An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract. Though the disease can be serious, especially for groups including pregnant women, newborns, and adults aged 65 or older, it can be treated with antibiotics.