Hundreds of schools in at least 16 U.S. states may have been sent food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a potentially deadly bacteria.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced earlier this month that more than 11.7 million pounds of “ready-to-eat meat and poultry products” had been recalled by manufacturer BrucePac after the bacteria was found during a routine inspection at a facility in Durant, Oklahoma.
While the recalled meat was included in prepared meals sold at a variety of grocery stores in more than 20 states, the USDA last week released a “preliminary list” of around 200 schools that had also been sent the items.
The list, which was last updated on Thursday, included schools in the District of Columbia and in the following states: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida, Michigan, New York, Iowa, Tennessee, New Jersey, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri, West Virginia and Delaware.
None of the recalled products were purchased or distributed by the USDA’s National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, with the schools instead purchasing the food directly from private vendors.
It was unclear whether all of the products had been removed from distribution as of Monday. There were no confirmed reports of related illnesses as of late last week.
Newsweek reached out for comment and updates to the USDA via email on Monday.
USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) said in a release that it was “concerned that some product may be available for use in restaurants, institutions, schools and other establishments,” urging the establishments to throw away the recalled items or return them.
The potentially contaminated meat was included in products sold under a variety of popular brand names, including but not limited to Boston Market, Trader Joe’s, Wegmans, Michelina’s, Dole, Udi’s, H-E-B, Atkins, Ready Meals, Amazon Fresh, Amazon Kitchen, Michael Angelo’s, Good & Gather and Great Value.
Young children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems are considered particularly vulnerable to listeriosis, an infection of Listeria monocytogenes. About 260 of an estimated 1,600 annual cases are fatal, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
While many listeriosis infections are limited to the digestive system, with symptoms including diarrhea and vomiting developing within 24 hours of consuming contaminated food, a more invasive form of the illness develops in some within two weeks.
Symptoms of the invasive illness include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and seizures. About one in 20 people who contract the invasive form of listeriosis without being pregnant will die of the illness.
For those who are pregnant, symptoms are generally mild or nonexistent, but invasive illness “usually leads to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn,” according to the CDC.
While cases of listeriosis are relatively rare, outbreaks of the serious illness occur sporadically and concerns about contamination with the bacteria are a common cause of food product recalls.
Earlier this year, an outbreak tied to recalled Boar’s Head deli meats had killed 10 people and sickened at least 59 others as by late September, although the CDC noted that “the true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely higher than the number reported.”
“Some people recover without medical care and are not tested for Listeria,” the CDC said on September 25. “In addition, recent illnesses may not yet be reported as it usually takes 3 to 4 weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.”
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