Over 120 Washington stores part of major meat, poultry recall due to listeria concerns
Oct 19, 2024, 2:22 PM | Updated: Oct 20, 2024, 8:43 am

A customer shops in the ready to eat meals aisle of a grocery store on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024 in Miami. Products tested by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) came back positive for Listeria monocytogenes bacteria which initiated a recall of nearly 12 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and chicken product items sold at major stores nationwide, including Trader Joe’s, 7-Eleven, Kroger and Albertsons (Photo: Joe Raedle, Getty Images)
(Photo: Joe Raedle, Getty Images)
Nearly 12 million pounds of meat and poultry products have been recalled and those items may have reached more than 120 stores in the state of Washington, according to a report from a federal agency.
The list of stores impacted includes two big-box stores, one in the Puget Sound region.
The (FSIS), a part of the , reported this month, two Safeway grocery stores — one in Spokane and another in Auburn — may have received listeria-contaminated food products in recent months. Most of the other stores on the list are smaller.
The 128 Washington stores this recall impacts can be found on this from the FSIS. The Washington stores, which are located across the state, can be found at the end on pages 1,089-1,092 and the Oregon stores can be found on pages 757-769.
Consumers are urged to check their refrigerators and freezers for any recalled products and to follow the guidance provided for returns and refunds.
The FSIS has stated there have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider.
Previous coverage: Massive meat and poultry recall due to listeria impacts major grocery chains
Oregon-based BrucePac is behind the recall
is completing the recall after the FSIS performed routine product testing of ready-to-eat (RTE) poultry products produced by BrucePac at their facility Durant, Oklahoma, facility and confirmed those products positive for Listeria monocytogenes. The company has a facility in Durant, but the company is based in Woodburn, Oregon.
, the recall covers all ready-to-eat meat and poultry items produced at this facility between May 31 and Oct. 8 and totals approximately 11,765,285 pounds of beef, pork, turkey and chicken. That number has risen from the original recall, which totaled 9,986,245 pounds.
These products were shipped to other establishments and distributors nationwide then distributed to restaurants, schools and institutions. A preliminary list of the schools impacted by the recall has been created and no schools in Washington or Oregon are impacted. A PDF list of the schools affected can be viewed .
In a Q&A on its website BrucePac stated that it sells its products to food companies and distributors nationwide. The company added that because it sells to other companies who resell, repackage, or use the products as ingredients in other foods, it doesn’t have a list of retail products that contain its recalled items. It referred to the FSIS report. A PDF of the company’s Q&A can be .
As in its coverage, “When an ingredient supplier has a foodborne illness problem, all of that supplier’s customers have a foodborne illness problem.”
The FSIS report the products subject to recall bear establishment numbers “51205 or P-51205” inside or under the USDA mark of inspection.
Walnuts recalled as E. coli hospitalizes 7: Which Washington stores sold them?
Consumers who have purchased any of the recalled items are advised to return them to the store for a full refund. The affected products include:
- Walmart: Marketside and Great Value brands
- Kroger: Kroger store brand and associated chains like Ralphs, Dillon’s, and King Soopers
- Publix: Publix Deli Chicken Street Taco Kit
- Albertsons: Signature Select brand, including Safeway and Vons
- Costco: Red’s Mini Burritos
- Meijer: Ready-to-eat salads
- Amazon Fresh: Ready-to-eat and frozen dishes
- Aldi: Little Salad Bar ready-to-eat salads and Fusia
- Giant Eagle: Brand salads
- Target: Good & Gather ready-to-eat salads and frozen meals
- Trader Joe’s: Ready-to-eat salads and frozen meals
- Bistro 28: Various chicken meal kits
- Don Pancho’s: Various chicken meal kits
- Dole: Ready-to-eat salads
- H-E-B: Frozen chicken meals
- El Monterey: Various chicken meals
- Other brands: Udi’s Gluten Free, Atkins, Boston Market, Eat! Asian Style, Gordon Choice, Jenny Craig, Michael Angelo’s, Michelina’s, Rao’s and Whitson’s Culinary Group
Looking at listeria and the dangers of its consumption
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 1,600 people get infected with listeria in the U.S. and 260 people die from the infection. It adds that Listeria infection is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the United States.
Consumption of food contaminated with listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns, the FSIS report explains. In pregnant women, the infection can cause harm to babies as well. It is less common for people outside of these risk groups to get affected.
The also notes that listeriosis “can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms.”
Previous food concerns: Cinnamon products prompt Washington Poison Center health warnings
According to the , treatment for consumption varies based on the kind of illness and its severity. People with diarrhea should drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.
People with an invasive illness are treated with antibiotics. That said, most people recover from an intestinal illness without needing an antibiotic treatment. They’re only needed only for patients who are very sick or at risk of becoming very sick.
Contributing: Bill Kaczaraba, MyNorthwest
Steve Coogan is the lead editor of MyNorthwest. You can read more of his stories here. Follow Steve on , or email him here.