Public Health authorities urge Americans to check freezers after massive listeria-related meat and frozen waffle recall

Public health officials are urging Americans to check their refrigerators and freezers after more than 11 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products were recalled due to potential listeria contamination.

Oregon-based company BrucePac, which specializes in pre-cooked proteins, has recalled 11,765,285 pounds of meat and poultry. These products were distributed nationwide to grocery stores, restaurants, schools, and other institutions, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

The recall was initiated after FSIS detected listeria in routine testing of finished products containing BrucePac poultry. A subsequent investigation confirmed the contamination source. Consumers are advised to avoid the affected products and return them to the store for a refund.

Authorities initially announced the recall last week but have since expanded it to include an additional one million pounds of meat and poultry products. The recall now covers hundreds of items from popular brands sold at numerous grocery chains across the U.S.

The USDA has also confirmed that some of the recalled products were distributed to schools and plans to post a school distribution list on its website soon.

The affected products include a variety of ready-to-eat meals such as salads, wraps, pasta bowls, burritos, enchiladas, and other frozen or family-size meals. Some of the brands impacted include Fresh Express, Rao’s, Boston Market, Atkins, Dole, ReadyMeals, Taylor Farms, Home Chef, and Signature Select.

The stores carrying these items include Aldi, Amazon Fresh, Giant Eagle, H-E-B, Kroger, Meijer, Publix, Target, Trader Joe’s, Walmart, Wegmans, and 7-Eleven.

The recall followed routine testing by FSIS, which detected listeria in finished products containing BrucePac poultry. A subsequent investigation confirmed the contamination source. Consumers are advised to avoid these products and return them to the point of purchase for a refund.

Also on the recall list are frozen waffles. TreeHouse Foods, an Illinois-based manufacturer, is voluntarily recalling numerous frozen waffle products sold at major supermarket chains due to potential listeria contamination. The affected products were sold at retailers including Walmart, Target, Harris Teeter, Publix, Food Lion, Tops, and more. TreeHouse Foods also produces waffles for brands like Kodiak Cakes, Simple Truth, and Foodhold.

On Friday, TreeHouse Foods announced the recall after routine testing at one of its manufacturing facilities detected a potential listeria contamination. Fortunately, there have been no confirmed reports of illness linked to the recalled waffles so far. The recall affects products sold in both the U.S. and Canada, with both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) aware of the issue.

The USDA is maintaining a list of recalled products, which has grown to 345 pages as of Wednesday. Consumers are urged to use the search function on the USDA’s website to look up specific products, stores, or brands and discard any affected items or return for a refund.

Listeria contamination has been a growing concern in the U.S. this year, particularly with outbreaks linked to deli meats. As of September 25, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that listeria outbreaks had resulted in 10 deaths across 19 states. More than 11 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products have also been recalled as a precaution. Listeria infections typically cause flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, and fatigue. These infections can be especially serious and potentially fatal for vulnerable populations, including older adults, pregnant women, newborns, and individuals with weakened immune systems. Infected individuals may experience symptoms as early as the same day or up to 10 weeks after consuming contaminated food. While some may recover on their own, others may require antibiotics.

Customers are urged to check their freezers for the recalled products and either discard them or return them to the store for credit. For a full list of affected products, visit the recall page.