HOUSTON, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 10 million pounds of meat and poultry products made at a plant in the central U.S. state of Oklahoma have been recalled due to the possible contamination of listeria bacteria, which killed about 260 people each year in the country, local media reported on Thursday.
The recall by BrucePac, a company headquartered in Woodburn, Oregon, includes 75 meat and chicken products produced between June 19 and Oct. 8 at its facility in Durant, Oklahoma and sold nationwide. The products' best-by date is from June 19, 2025 to Oct. 8, 2025.
Earlier this week, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) detected listeria in samples of poultry during routine testing and identified BrucePac's ready-to-eat chicken as the source in further tests.
"Restaurants, institutions, and other establishments are urged not to serve or use these products. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase," the USDA said on Wednesday.
Listeria bacteria can cause listeriosis, which is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the United States. Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that each year there are roughly 1,600 people infected with listeria bacteria in the country, with symptoms like fever, muscle aches and fatigue.
