The BrucePac listeria recall has taken a turn for the worse, expanding to include nearly 12 million pounds of meat and poultry products that have made their way into U.S. schools, restaurants, and major retailers. According to an update from the U.S. Food Service Inspection Service (FSIS) on Thursday, the recall which originated on October 9 now involves popular stores such as Costco, Trader Joe's, Target, and Walmart, as per NBC Chicago.

These ready-to-eat meals, previously identified by establishment numbers “51205 or P-51205,” were produced at a plant located in Durant, Oklahoma, which is operated by Woodburn, Oregon-based company BrucePac, as noted by ABC News.

The list of recalled items has swelled from approximately 75 to over 300, affecting pre-packaged fresh meals sold under various labels including FreshExpress and Marketside to frozen meals from brands like Jenny Craig and Boston Market. Incidentally, the expanded list includes products shipped to over 100 schools across at least 17 states, NBC Chicago reported.

No confirmed illnesses have been connected to the BrucePac recall so far, ABC News notes. However, the presence of listeria monocytogenes discovered during routine testing by USDA officials is alarming due to the bacteria's potential to cause serious and sometimes fatal infections. The effects of ingesting listeria-contaminated food can be severe, especially for vulnerable populations like the elderly, those with weakened immune systems, or pregnant individuals.