Safety Alert: Goodbye Meals, Hello Listeria Worries

You might want to think twice before digging into your favorite ready-to-eat meals. Major stores like Amazon, Costco, and Walmart have recalled over 300 meals due to a possible listeria outbreak. The culprit? An Oklahoma meat processing plant, BrucePac, which is recalling a whopping 12 million pounds of meat and poultry. The recalled products include pre-made salads, burritos, and pasta. But how did this happen? The contamination was found during routine testing by the U. S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). While no illnesses have been reported yet, listeria can be bad news for pregnant women, seniors, and people with weak immune systems.This isn't the first time something like this has happened. Just last July, a Virginia deli meat supplier, Boar’s Head, recalled millions of pounds of products linked to a listeria outbreak that sadly resulted in deaths and hospitalizations. What should you do if you find these recalled items in your fridge or freezer? Throw them out or return them to the store, says the FSIS. And if you've eaten any and feel sick, contact your healthcare provider right away. It's always better to be safe than sorry!