The United States Department of Agriculture has identified more than 150 schools that could be affected by a significant poultry and beef recall due to listeria concerns.
These schools are located in various states, including Florida, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, among others.
You can access the complete list of potentially impacted schools here.
The recall involves close to 12 million pounds of BrucePac meat products. BrucePac supplies pre-cooked meat and poultry to food service and retail establishments across the country.
RELATED STORY | Listeria recall grows to 12 million pounds of meat and poultry, some of it sent to US schools
On October 9, an initial recall was issued by the USDA, listing numerous potentially affected products, including chicken wraps, burritos, salads, and other items sold at major retailers like Trader Joe’s, Costco, Target, and Walmart.
A week later, the recall was expanded to include additional ready-to-eat meals sold at schools, restaurants, and major retail chains.
The recall was prompted by the discovery of listeria bacteria in samples of BrucePac chicken processed at a manufacturing facility in Durant, Oklahoma.
You can find the full list of recalled products here.
Listeria
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, listeria bacteria have the potential to contaminate a wide range of foods. Consumption of these contaminated foods can lead to infection and illness. Although rare, listeria infection can be severe.
Symptoms of listeria infection vary depending on the individual and the affected body part and may include fever, muscle aches, fatigue, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or seizures.
Individuals at higher risk for severe listeria illness include pregnant women, infants, individuals over the age of 65, and those with weakened immune systems.
According to the CDC, listeria is the third most common cause of foodborne illness in the United States.
