The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) discovered Listeria monocytogenes during regular product testing.
11.76 Million Pounds of Ready-to-Eat Meat and Poultry Products Have Been Recalled
Updated on Oct. 16, 2024
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to include another 1,779,040 pounds of product subject to recall, increasing the total weight from 9,986,245 to 11,765,285 pounds.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has shared a recall from BrucePac that affects nearly 12 million pounds of ready-to-eat poultry and meat products. The recall was announced after the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) tested food that contained ready-to-eat poultry from BrucePac and discovered listeria.
Here’s what you need to know about the recall—and what we’re still learning.
Why is BrucePac recalling its products?
BrucePac products were found to be contaminated with listeria, a bacteria that causes foodborne illness that can be serious for pregnant women, people older than 65 and people with weakened immune systems, according to Mayo Clinic. Listeria was discovered during routine testing, and a follow-up investigation identified BrucePac chicken as the source of the bacteria.
What products have been recalled?
BrucePac produced the contaminated products between June 19, 2024, and October 8, 2024. The products were shipped to “other establishments and distributors nationwide,” according to the recall announcement, so this will be a wide-reaching issue for consumers.
The USDA has released a list of products that contain ready-to-eat poultry and meat products. That list includes:
- Dole Chicken Caesar Salad
- Dole Santa Fe Style Salad
- Dole Chicken Club BLT Salad
- Dole Chef Salad
- Dole Cobb Salad
- Marketside Caesar Salad with Chicken
- Marketside Southwest Style Salad with Chicken
- Marketside Santa Fe Salad with Chicken
- HEB Chicken Broccoli & Rice Casserole
- HEB Texas Ranch Chicken Casserole
- HEB Texas Ranch Style Chicken
- Trader Joe’s Lemon Chicken & Arugula Salad
- Trader Joe’s Tarragon Chicken Salad Wrap
- Trader Joe’s Turkey Club Wrap
- Fresh Express Chicken Caesar Salad
- Fresh Express Santa Fe Style Salad
- Little Salad Bar Santa Fe Style Salad
- Little Salad Bar Chicken Caesar Salad
To determine if your salad, wrap or frozen meal is part of this recall, check the list of product labels provided by the USDA. (That list is continuously being updated.) Trader Joe’s announced its own recall, too, so check for a complete list of affected Trader Joe’s products.
What should I do next?
Taste of Home will continue to monitor the situation because the USDA reports that additional products could be added to its list. In the meantime, be thoughtful about what you eat if you’re at risk for a listeria infection. Skip any wraps or salads with ready-to-eat chicken or turkey in them. Cook frozen meals to an internal temperature of 165°F to be safe.
If you ate any of the products listed above and have symptoms of listeria poisoning like fever, chills, muscle aches, nausea or diarrhea, contact your doctor as soon as possible. Per the Mayo Clinic, symptoms might begin a few days after you’ve eaten contaminated food, but it could also take 30 days or more before symptoms of infection appear.
