BrucePac Listeria Warning Prompts Widening Cheeseburger Recall Nationwide
According to News Week, Dakota Tom’s Sandwiches, a food wholesaler based in Corsica, South Dakota, has initiated a voluntary recall of several burger products due to concerns over possible contamination with the Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.
FDA Announcement and Affected Products
On Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the recall on its website. The products being recalled include Dakota Tom’s Sandwiches’ Pepperjack Cheeseburger, Bacon Cheeseburger, and a product called “The Gambler”. These items were distributed to retailers across South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wyoming.
Source of Contamination: BrucePac Burger Patty
The recall is tied to concerns over the burger patty, which was supplied by BrucePac, a separate company that also issued a recall of its products due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination. This prompted Dakota Tom’s to take similar action as a precautionary measure.
Affected Product Details
Consumers are being advised to return the affected products to their point of purchase for a full refund. The specific products being recalled include:
- Pepperjack Cheeseburger (UPC: 737296806008)
- Bacon Cheeseburger (UPC: 737296803000)
- The Gambler (UPC: 737296601788)
These products have best-before dates ranging from September 1, 2024, to November 23, 2024.
Listeria Risks: Who Is at Risk?
The FDA warns that Listeria monocytogenes can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, especially in young children, elderly people, and individuals with weakened immune systems. While healthy individuals may only experience short-term symptoms such as:
- High fever
- Severe headaches
- Stiffness
- Nausea
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
For pregnant women, listeria infections can lead to miscarriages or stillbirths.
No Reported Illnesses
At this time, no illnesses related to the recalled products have been reported. However, consumers are urged to take caution and avoid consuming any of the affected products.
Also read: Social Security Reveals 2 Major Changes Post-COLA: What Retirees Need to Know
Dakota Tom’s Response to the Recall
Dakota Tom’s Sandwiches has stated that they have discontinued using burger patties from the BrucePac facility associated with the contamination. They have urged concerned customers to call their customer service line at 605-946-5123 for further information.
Packaging and Identification
Photos included in the FDA announcement show the packaging of the affected products, which features:
- The product name in large writing
- A barcode
- The Dakota Tom’s Sandwiches logo, which depicts a man wearing a hat and bandana while holding a sandwich.
FDA’s Additional Recalls: Ice Cream and Potato Salad
In a related FDA recall announcement on Friday, Today’s Frozen Desserts, Inc. voluntarily recalled its ice cream products after they were found to contain undeclared food colorings, including Yellow 5 (Tartrazine) and Yellow 6 (Sunset Yellow FCF). The recall was classified as a Class II recall, meaning the products may cause temporary or medically reversible health consequences.
Additionally, the FDA issued a Class I recall for a potato salad produced by Lemonland Food Corp. A Class I recall is the highest risk category, issued when there is a reasonable probability that use or exposure to the product could cause serious adverse health consequences or death.
FDA Recalls Dietary Supplements Containing Drugs
On October 16, the FDA announced the recall of several dietary supplements produced by C&A Naturistics. The products were found to contain undeclared dexamethasone, diclofenac, and methocarbamol, leading to their removal from the market.
