Yes, there is a recall on nearly 10 million pounds of meat and poultry products over listeria concerns

In October, multiple posts on X claimed there is currently a recall on hundreds of meat and poultry products sold at Walmart, Target, Costco, Aldi, 7-Eleven, Trader Joe’s and other stores due to possible listeria contamination.

Eating foods contaminated with listeria can cause potentially serious illness. About 1,600 people are infected with listeria bacteria yearly in the U.S. and about 260 die, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Recent online search trends show many people are wondering if the claims are true.

THE QUESTION

Is there a recall on hundreds of meat and poultry products due to listeria concerns?

THE SOURCES

THE ANSWER

Yes, there is a recall on hundreds of meat and poultry products due to listeria concerns.

WHAT WE FOUND

BrucePac of Woodburn, Oregon, is recalling nearly 10 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products because they may be contaminated with listeria bacteria, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on Oct. 9. The recall includes hundreds of products sold at Walmart, Target, Costco, Kroger, Trader Joe’s and other major retailers across the country.

The recalled products were made at BrucePac’s precooked meat plant in Durant, Oklahoma, between June 19 and Oct. 8, and shipped to restaurants, food service vendors and other sites nationwide, according to the USDA.

The problem was first discovered after USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service officials detected listeria in samples of poultry during routine testing at the plant. Further tests identified BrucePac chicken as the source.

The USDA shared a 342-page document covering all of the products believed to be included in the recall on Oct. 11. The massive list includes a variety of ready-to-eat salads, chicken salad, wraps and frozen meals that have a best-by date of June 19, 2025 to Oct. 8, 2025.

The recalled products were sold at many different nationwide retailers including Costco, 7-Eleven, Amazon Fresh, H-E-B, Giant Eagle, Raley’s, Wegmans, Walmart, Target, Kroger, Publix, Aldi, Meijer and Trader Joe’s. The USDA says any recalled items on the list should be thrown out immediately.

Listeria infections typically cause fever, muscle aches and tiredness and may cause stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions, the CDC says. Symptoms can occur quickly or up to 10 weeks after eating contaminated food. The infections are especially dangerous for older people, those with weakened immune systems or people who are pregnant.

There have been no confirmed reports of illness linked to the recall as of Oct. 16. However, if you have concerns about getting sick, you should contact your healthcare provider.

The Associated Press and TEGNA Digital contributed to this report.