Listeria recall of food included in federal school breakfast and lunch programs

US Government Recalls Millions of School Breakfasts Due to Listeria Concerns

The US Department of Agriculture has announced a massive recall of frozen breakfast meals served to millions of low-income students across the country. Approximately 91,585 pounds of prepackaged breakfast burritos and wraps, manufactured by California-based M.C.I. Foods, have been pulled from sale due to potential contamination with listeria.

The affected products are part of federally-funded school breakfast and lunch programs that serve over 40 million children nationwide each year. While there have been no confirmed reports of illnesses linked to the recalled items, the Food Safety and Inspection Service has issued a warning for institutions not to serve these products and instead dispose of them immediately.

M.C.I. Foods discovered listeria during routine testing on egg ingredients supplied by external suppliers. The recall affects seven different types of frozen breakfast products sold under various brands, including El Mas Fino, Los Cabos, and Midamar, which contain common ingredients such as eggs, cheese, and meats like beef, ham, sausage, and turkey.

Listeria is a serious bacterial infection that can spread through food, causing symptoms ranging from fever and headache to muscle aches, confusion, and loss of balance. Pregnant women, newborns, older adults, and individuals with weakened immune systems are at the highest risk of developing a severe infection.

According to public health officials, listeria is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the US, resulting in an estimated 1,250 reported cases and 172 fatalities each year. Invasive infections caused by listeria can develop within two months of eating contaminated food, making prompt action crucial to prevent serious complications.

The recall comes as multiple listeria outbreaks have been reported in recent weeks, including a deadly incident involving nearly 245,000 pounds of precooked pasta from California-based Nate's Fine Foods. The US government's swift response has likely prevented further cases of illness and death associated with these products.

I'm not buying this recall story... it just smells like another big corporation trying to cover their own behinds . Think about it, M.C.I. Foods gets busted for listeria contamination and suddenly the entire country is in an uproar? No wonder they got caught so early - they must've had a mole in the USDA or something . And what about all the other recalled products like Nate's Fine Foods pasta? That was like 245,000 pounds of food gone... too convenient, if you ask me . I'm not saying it's not a legitimate recall, but I do think there's more to this story than meets the eye .

omg, that's crazy ! i mean, you gotta be careful with food, especially when it's for kids . listeria is no joke, it can be super serious . so glad the gov has stepped in to recall those breakfasts ASAP . don't want anyone getting sick from something they didn't even realize was bad . i hope everyone who ate that stuff is okay . and poor m.c.i. foods... gotta get their quality control on point . it's always better to be safe than sorry, right?

OMG, can you even believe this?! They're recalling MILLIONS of school breakfasts because of listeria concerns! Like, what even is that? I mean, I know it's a real thing and all, but shouldn't our schools be able to serve safe food without having to recall everything every now and then? And poor kids who ate the affected breakfasts... can you imagine being sick from something as simple as food? Like, what if you were already really unwell and that just made it worse?!

Anyway, I'm glad the government is taking action ASAP, but like, shouldn't we be investing more in food safety measures instead of recalling everything? I mean, it's not like this is the first time listeria has caused problems... remember Nate's Fine Foods? That was like, super scary!

Ugh, this is so not surprising . I mean, come on, listeria outbreaks are basically a thing now. Anyway, they're recalling 91k pounds of breakfast burritos... that's like, a lot . And it's from M.C.I. Foods, which is just another name for "big food company that cares more about profits than people". I'm surprised it took them this long to notice the listeria . But at least they're taking action and all that jazz . Still, you'd think they could've done better than pulling products from sale without even confirming any illnesses... just saying .

Ugh this is so frustrating! Like can't we just get one thing right for once? I mean seriously millions of kids eating contaminated breakfast and it's only because the company found out during routine testing These schools have gotta be shakin' thinking about what they coulda done differently. And let's not even talk about the listeria victims their families must be goin through 172 fatalities is like, a whole lotta lives lost. It's crazy to think about how fast it spreads too. Anyway, I'm just glad the gov't stepped in so quickly or who knows what coulda happened

this is just another reminder that even the safest food systems can be compromised. millions of kids are eating these contaminated breakfasts, can you imagine what could happen to their developing immune systems? it's a sobering thought... we put so much trust in these institutions and corporations, but sometimes they let us down what does this say about our society if we need to be constantly reminded of the risks that come with everyday food?

omg yaaas I'm literally so relieved to hear that they're recalling those breakfast burritos!! my little nephew went through this last year and it was SO scary for us as parents we can't even imagine the fear of our kids getting sick from something like that... listeria is no joke, you guys! i mean, i know it's not like it's a new thing or anything but still, it's just so important to be safe when it comes to food and kudos to m.c.i. foods for being proactive about it... it's always better to err on the side of caution when it comes to our kids' health

OMG this is so crazy that millions of school breakfasts were recalled due to listeria concerns! I'm all about keeping our kids safe, you know? I mean, think about it - those little ones are just trying to fuel up for a day of learning, and then suddenly their breakfast could be putting them at risk? It's like, what even is the point of having food if it's not gonna make 'em feel better?!

But seriously though, listeria can be super deadly, especially for the elderly or people with weakened immune systems . I'm all for taking precautions and being proactive about public health . And kudos to M.C.I. Foods for catching that contamination issue so quickly . It's a good thing they're getting rid of those products ASAP!

I wonder how this is gonna affect the families who rely on these school breakfast programs though... are they gonna have to scramble to find alternative meals? That's just not fair, you know?!

Just heard about this massive recall of school breakfasts due to listeria concerns... gotta feel bad for those low-income students who rely on these programs. I mean, can't imagine what would happen if they got sick from something like that . So glad the US government is taking swift action and getting rid of the contaminated products ASAP . It's crazy how common listeria is as a foodborne illness, especially for vulnerable groups like pregnant women and young kids . Hope everyone stays safe and healthy out there!

Ugh, can you believe this ? Like, millions of kids' breakfasts are being recalled because of listeria concerns! It's just so frustrating - I mean, who wants to hear that the school breakfast they ate was potentially contaminated? The fact that it could've affected up to 40 million kids is just insane... and those vulnerable groups like pregnant women, newborns, etc. are always at risk. Listeria is no joke, btw . I'm glad the gov's being proactive about it, tho - recalling the products ASAP likely saved a lot of potential cases from getting worse . But seriously, can't we just have safe food without all these recalls?

Like, I'm not surprised to hear this... Millions of school breakfasts recalled? Come on! You'd think they'd have better quality control in place, especially when it comes to food safety . Listeria is no joke, and it's crazy that they had to recall so much stuff due to contamination from external suppliers . And yeah, pregnant women, newborns, old folks, and those with weakened immune systems are basically the most vulnerable groups... It's like, basic science, people! Anyway, I'm glad the government stepped in ASAP and prevented more cases of illness and death . Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go fact-check some other news stories to see if they're accurate

This is super worrying! I mean, millions of kids are being served food that could potentially be contaminated with listeria . I get it, mistakes happen, but still, it's just not worth the risk. What if some tiny kid has a weakened immune system or something? They're already vulnerable enough as it is . But at the same time, we gotta be all about the precautionary measures here. The US government is actually pretty quick on their feet with this recall . I'm just glad no one's reported any serious illnesses yet... fingers crossed that stays the case .

Ugh, can you believe this? Millions of school breakfasts are being recalled because of listeria concerns . I mean, I'm all for food safety, but it's crazy that these kids got affected in the first place. I remember when I was a kid, we didn't even know about listeria being such a big deal . And now, schools are having to throw away entire shipments of breakfast burritos and wraps . It's just so... unnecessary.

I guess it's good that the government is taking action, but what's the point of recalling these products if they're not even going to be replaced with new ones soon? And what about all those kids who are already eating this stuff without realizing it's contaminated? It's just a big mess.

I know listeria is a serious bacterial infection and all, but come on... can't we just focus on getting rid of the problem instead of constantly throwing out perfectly good food? . Anyway, I hope no one got seriously hurt from eating this stuff . That would be a total disaster .