The BrucePac Listeria Recall Expands To Costco's Frozen Section

Shoppers may want to check the recall section of Costco's website often, as the warehouse retail giant is once again warning members of potentially contaminated items sold at its stores. This latest recall comes less than a month after the recall of Kodiak Cake Waffles, which were sold at Costco. The current recall affects Red's Southwestern Grilled Chicken Mini Burritos and El Monterey Mexican Grill Chicken & Cheese Taquitos. Both products may harbor harmful listeria bacteria. As reported by the USDA, these recalls are part of a larger action involving BrucePac, an Oklahoma-based producer of pre-cooked meats.

Packages of Red's Southwestern Grilled Chicken Mini Burritos included in the recall were sold between October 1 and October 10, 2024, and bear item number 1850156. Only packages with the following 2026 best-by dates (located on the bottom of the box) are included in the recall: March 27, April 1, April 2, and April 7. 

Affected boxes of El Monterey Mexican Grill Chicken & Cheese Taquitos feature item number 18668 and were sold at Costco from July 25 to October 11, 2024. Consumers should consult the lot codes and corresponding best-by dates on the side of the packaging to determine whether an item is involved in the recall (the complete listing of affected items can be found on Costco's website). 

Consumers can return packages of Red's Southwestern Grilled Chicken Mini Burritos and El Monterey Mexican Grill Chicken & Cheese Taquitos to the Costco location where they were purchased for a refund. Customers can also contact Red's directly by calling 888-522-9408, while you can speak to a representative at Ruiz Foods (the manufacturer of El Monterey products) by calling 1-800-772-6474. 

Symptoms of listeria infection include nausea, diarrhea, and fever, and these symptoms can occur within a few days but may take a month or longer after eating contaminated food. Illness is often more severe in young children, pregnant or older adults, or those with weakened or compromised immune systems. Symptoms can include neck stiffness, confusion, and headache. Anyone who believes they've eaten contaminated food and experienced these symptoms is encouraged to seek medical attention immediately. It's not yet clear what other products may also be affected by the BrucePac listeria contamination, but these certainly aren't the first products recalled at Costco due to worries about listeria (others include items containing potentially contaminated dairy products).