Taco recall in 31 states as FDA sets risk level over listeria fears

Chicken tacos recalled in October have now been issued a risk classification by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over potential listeria contamination.

The Kroger Co., based in Cincinnati, Ohio, announced a recall on October 11 for its Home Chef Chicken Street Tacos (9.93 oz). The company said the products contained chicken supplied by BrucePac, a producer of pre-cooked meat, which announced a Class 1 recall due to listeria contamination.

The recall affects 24,072 units distributed in Kroger stores in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming.

The FDA has now issued a Class II risk classification for the recall as of November 13.

A Class II recall is “a situation in which use of or exposure to a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.” There are three levels of classification.

Newsweek has contacted The Kroger Co. for comment outside of normal working hours.

As part of the same alert, the company also recalled its Pancho Chicken Quesadilla meal kits (22.5 oz); Don Pancho Green Chili Chicken Enchilada meal kits (27 oz); and Home Chef Asian Style Chicken Stir Fry (13 oz).

The affected products are identified by the UPC codes 8-40134-30435; 71117-12507; 71117-12506; and 8-40134-30852.

In a recall notice linked to the company’s website, it said that customers should not eat the products and return them to stores for a full refund. “The product may be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes and, if eaten, could result in severe illness to those individuals who are pregnant or have a weakened immune system,” it said.

Consumption of food that has been contaminated with listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis.

In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infections in newborns. It can also be fatal for older people and those with weakened immune systems.

Healthy individuals can suffer short-term symptoms, including high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that listeria is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illnesses in the United States, responsible for approximately 1,600 cases of food poisoning each year and around 260 fatalities.