Officials are urging consumers to check their refrigerators and freezers and dispose of certain ready-to-eat chicken meals due to a nationwide outbreak.
The Oklahoma-based BrucePac has recalled nearly 12 million pounds of meat and poultry that have been shipped to grocery stores and schools around the country although no Iowa schools were mentioned in the initial list compiled by the USDA. The recall centers around concerns of a possible listeria outbreak.
According to the USDA, the affected chicken can be found in over 300 brand-name products including salads, pastas, burritos, wraps, and more. The products are sold at retailers such as Target, Walmart, Trader Joe’s, and others. Officials say consuming products with listeria is detrimental to the elderly, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems as it can lead to serious infection and in some cases, death.
The USDA has compiled a list of products possibly infected with listeria here.
Symptoms of a listeria infection include fever, chills, muscle aches, diarrhea, nausea, loss of balance, and convulsions. Symptoms can appear within a few days of consumption with some taking nearly 30 days to surface according to the Mayo Clinic.
If symptoms appear, the USDA says to contact your health provider.
Anyone with concerns can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854 or email MPHotline@usda.gov, and can report complaints about any meat, poultry, or egg products online.
