A major meatpacker has recalled nearly 10 million pounds of ready-to-eat beef and poultry items over concerns that they contaminated with listeriaAccording to the federal government.
BruisePak, a Durant, Okla.-based company whose brand names include Urban Bruise and City Grillers, said it is recalling 9,986,245 pounds of ready-to-eat products produced from June 19 to Oct. 8 this year. According to the Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.
“These products were sent to other establishments and distributors across the country and then distributed to restaurants and institutions,” the agency said Wednesday.
The USDA said it discovered the issue after routine testing of poultry products. The test came back positive for Listeria monocytogenes, a species of bacteria that causes infection. In severe cases death may occur.
Food regulators investigated the matter further and found that the bacteria was found in ready-to-eat chicken.
As of Thursday, there were no confirmed reports of Listeria infection resulting from consumption of Bruspack-produced meat.
USDA published a Full list of recalled products.
“Restaurants, institutions and other establishments are urged not to serve or use these products,” the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said Wednesday.
“These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.”
Meanwhile, a California-based cheese and dairy company has been ordered by the government to stop production after an investigation found that two deaths were caused by the consumption of products contaminated with Listeria.
The Justice Department announced Wednesday that Rizzo-Lopez Foods in Modesto, California, will cease operations.
The company, which specializes in Mexican-style cheese and other dairy products, previously operated under several brand names, including Don Francisco and La Mexicana.
In June 2014, an outbreak of Listeria led to the hospitalization of 23 people in 11 states. Two of those people died, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The outbreak was traced to products made by Rizzo-Lopez.
According to the CDC, a California resident died of listeria in 2017. One more death was reported in Texas in 2020.
In January, officials in Hawaii found traces of Listeria in a sample of Rizzo Brothers Aged Cotija — prompting the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration to reopen their investigation.
The following month, the government announced a limited recall, which was expanded to include more than 60 products sold nationwide.
Food safety has been thrust into the spotlight in recent weeks after one of the country’s best-known brands of deli meat was found to be contaminated with listeria.
A listeria outbreak has sickened at least 10 people and dozens across 19 states, forcing the closure of a large boar’s head deli meat plan in Virginia.
The plant has not operated since late July, when USDA officials suspended inspections and the company recalled more than 7 million pounds of deli meat due to possible contamination.
