What You Should Know About the Addition of a Popular Frozen Item at Costco to the Recall

Not too long after removing frozen mini chicken burritos from the shelves, Costco issued a significant recall for another well-liked frozen product. This time, the freezer aisle classic El Monterey Chicken & Cheese Taquitos are being recalled amid worries about potential listeria contamination, a dangerous disease that may result in serious illness.

If you just bought the 30-count packets of these tacos at Costco, it’s important to read on and comprehend the specifics of this recall, including the health dangers and what measures you should take.

Everything You Should Know About the Recall

On October 14, 2024, El Monterey Chicken & Cheese Taquitos were recalled. This recall is part of a larger, continuing program involving millions of pounds of meat products that are ready to consume. These famous 30-count bulk boxes of El Monterey Mexican Grill taquitos are a great option for families and quick lunches because they are available at Costco.

According to a notification sent to consumers who recently purchased the product, the taquitos in issue may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a dangerous bacteria that may cause the foodborne sickness known as listeriosis. Costco is urging customers to return the items for a complete refund and not eat the tacos from the impacted batches.

Why Does This Recall Matter So Much?

The protein supplier BrucePac, which ships about 10 million pounds of potentially contaminated meat products, is involved in a bigger problem that includes this recall. Since BrucePac sells meat to several food producers and restaurants, the recall has affected several different products and brands.

Apart from the El Monterey Chicken & Cheese Taquitos available at Costco, other items that used materials from BrucePac have also been removed from the shelf. Red’s Southwestern Grilled Chicken Mini Burritos, for instance, has been recalled due to a potential listeria infection.

These product recalls draw attention to the extent of the contamination and the possible dangers of ingesting the contaminated goods. They involve not just one product but a whole line of goods utilizing ready-to-eat meats from BrucePac that appeal to a diverse group of customers.

Why Is Listeria Dangerous and What Does It Mean?

Listeria monocytogenes may seriously infect people, particularly in susceptible groups. Certain individuals may be at risk from listeriosis, a sickness brought on by this bacteria, including:

Women who are expecting: Listeria can cause serious pregnancy issues like miscarriage, stillbirth, or early delivery.
Infants: Young children are especially vulnerable to serious illnesses.
Senior citizens: Individuals 65 and older are more vulnerable to serious sickness.
Persons with compromised immune systems: Serious problems are particularly common in people with HIV/AIDS, diabetes, cancer, and those using immunosuppressive medicines.

Listeria infections usually need a longer incubation time than other foodborne pathogens. Symptoms may manifest from days to weeks following the consumption of infected food. Typical listeriosis symptoms include:

Fever
Muscle aches
Fatigue
Nausea
Diarrhea

While the infection may not show any symptoms at all for the majority of healthy individuals, it can cause serious problems, such as meningitis, sepsis, or even death, in the susceptible populations described above.

What to Do If You’ve Bought the Tacos and Want to Protect Yourself

The following actions should be taken if you just purchased El Monterey Chicken & Cheese Taquitos from Costco:

Avoid eating the tacos: To lower the chance of disease, it’s recommended to avoid ingesting any more of the product, even if you’ve previously eaten a bit and are feeling OK.
Verify the batch details: The Costco recall notification should include information about the particular batches impacted by the recall. Verify again that the box you have has the same batch numbers as the tainted batches.
Return the item to Costco: Costco advises customers to return any impacted tacos to their nearby warehouse to receive a complete refund. This is a demonstration of Costco’s dedication to protecting consumer safety and managing the recall appropriately.
Keep an eye on your health: If you’ve eaten any of the recalled tacos, pay attention to how your body feels and look for listeriosis symptoms, particularly if you fall into one of the higher-risk categories. Being on the lookout for symptoms is crucial since they might appear days or weeks after ingesting contaminated food.
Speak with your healthcare provider: Contact your doctor as soon as possible if you encounter any symptoms, especially if you are pregnant, old, or suffering from a compromised immune system. Symptoms may include fever, exhaustion, or muscular pains.

Additional Information About the Contamination’s Source: Bruce Pac’s Role

The firm at the center of this enormous recall, BrucePac, supplies restaurants, healthcare facilities, and food producers nationwide with ready-to-eat beef products. After the contamination problem in their goods was discovered, other firms began to employ them in their food products, which sparked a series of recalls.

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has made a comprehensive list of every product impacted by the BrucePac recall available. The list is rather lengthy. Since over 10 million pounds of items are at risk, this contamination may significantly impact the food supply chain.

Although Bruce Pac has not yet disclosed any verified instances of illness associated with the contamination, the recall is being executed “out of an abundance of caution.” This preventive strategy aims to stop any potential epidemics of listeriosis, which can be fatal in extreme situations.

How to Proceed If You Have Any Doubts or Questions

Costco and Ruiz Foods, El Monterey’s parent business, have tools available to assist you with any questions regarding the recall. For more help, customers can contact Ruiz Foods. They can direct you through the return procedure and respond to inquiries on which batches are impacted.

For general information on listeria and food safety, you may also visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website or contact your local health department.

In Conclusion

The El Monterey Chicken & Cheese Taquitos recall at Costco is a timely reminder of the significance of food safety and the need to be on the lookout for contamination.

Even while learning about yet another recall may be unpleasant, Costco and BrucePac’s proactive measures to notify customers and remove potentially harmful items from the market highlight how crucial care is in preventing foodborne disease.

If you bought these tacos, you should return them to Costco right now and monitor your health if you’ve already eaten them. Thankfully, no illnesses have been recorded yet, but the greatest defense against harm to you and your loved ones during this recall is to be aware and exercise caution.

Recall to always inspect the food in your house when a food recall is declared and to always keep an eye out for such alerts. Being cautious is preferable to taking a chance when listeria infection is possible.