The Disturbing Reason Ready To Eat Meats Are Being Recalled

It's safe to say most Americans are feeling steady pressure to make up for the exorbitant cost of living in the United States. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the consumer price index rose 8.3% in the last year. Bluecrew recently conducted a survey reporting that 57% of respondents are looking for ways to increase their incomes instead of or in addition to their everyday jobs.

This pressure to make up for increased costs leaves little room for preparing labor-intensive meals at home. Supermarket Perimeter reports that convenience foods gained popularity during the pandemic, and while the virus has since moved past the national crisis phase, the ready-to-eat food market continues to grow. Research predicts that grab-and-go foods will reach a nearly $1.5 billion value by 2028.

As for the top convenience foods, ready-to-eat meats are among the most popular, per Straights Research. In addition to chicken nuggets and hot dogs, this expansive category also includes beef jerky and cured meats for charcuterie boards. As many customers will want to know, several of these ever-popular foods have been affected by a recent recall.

Nearly 44 tons of ready-to-eat meat products were recalled due to Listeria concerns

On September 24, the USDA announced that Behrmann Meat and Processing Inc. of Albers, Illinois, recalled more than 87,00 pounds of ready-to-eat meat products due to possible contamination of Listeria monocytogenes. The list of products contains nearly 200 packaged meat varieties, including pulled pork, pork chops, and salami. The contaminated items were produced between July 7 and September 9 before heading to stores in Illinois, Kentucky, and Missouri. Customers should check their Behrmann products for the code "EST 20917," or head to the USDA website to see if they purchased a recalled product.

According to the CDC, the symptoms of Listeria infection are fever, body aches, fatigue, and diarrhea or vomiting, with older people, infants, and pregnant individuals posing increased risk for serious infection. The World Health Organization claims that packaged meats are considered a "high risk" food for Listeria contamination due to their open-and-go nature and need for constant refrigeration, often allowing Listeria to spread and thrive.

However, Listeria isn't the only reason convenience meats have been recalled in the past. Earlier this year, 15,000 pounds of beef sticks were recalled due to an undeclared allergen. The USDA urges buyers of recalled Behrmann items to either throw away their contaminated products or return them to the location of purchase. Additional contact information for the USDA and Behrmann Inc. can be found on the recall notice.