The Philadelphia School District is in the midst of managing a potential public health concern as approximately 200 schools in the area have been impacted by a nationwide meat and poultry recall over possible listeria contamination. In an announcement made public yesterday, the district's Chief Operating Officer Oz Hill informed families of the possible contamination in certain meals served to students.
A supplier, BrucePac of Woodburn, Oregon, is at the center of the recall after the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) discovered listeria in samples of its poultry products. The affected products, including 75 different meat and chicken items produced between June 19 and October 8, have been served in almost 200 pre-K and K-12 schools within the district. This potential health risk was first reported by CBS News Philadelphia.
The district has detailed the meals served that are subject to recall. For pre-K students, "Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Penne" was served on Tuesday, while those with a food allergy were provided with "Chicken Strips Honey Mustard Green Bean" and "Chicken Caribbean Pineapple Sauce Rice Carrots" from October 4 to 10. K-12 sites received "Chicken with BBQ Sauce Rice Baked Beans" on September 23, according to CBS News Philadelphia.
Listeria, a bacterium and common cause of food poisoning, can be particularly dangerous to vulnerable groups such as the elderly and pregnant women. Dr. Eric Sachinwalla of Jefferson Health stated that for "the vast majority of children," the risk should not be significant, even for those with underlying health conditions. Dr. Angela Skrzynski from Virtua Health mentioned, "You may not even know you had a listeria ingestion," noting that infected individuals may experience symptoms similar to flu or COVID-19, as reported in an interview with 6abc.
While there have been no confirmed reports of illness due to the meals, the school district is not taking any chances and has removed all remaining items identified in the recall from school meal services. Oz Hill assured families, as per 6abc, "Your child will not be served this item moving forward." Parents seeking more information can contact the district through the provided email [email protected] or by phone at 215-400-5600, as conveyed by Hill.