Several Newark Schools Included On Nationwide Meat Recall List

NEWARK, NJ — Several schools in Newark, New Jersey were included on a list of facilities that may have received meat products contaminated with listeria, federal authorities announced this week.

Oklahoma-based BrucePac is recalling millions of pounds of “ready to eat” chicken and meat products after testing revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. Read More: 1.7M More Pounds Of Meat Recalled, Including Food Shipped To Schools

The potentially contaminated products have been shipped to dozens of New Jersey schools, according to a list released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service on Thursday. Read More: Meat Recalled For Listeria Shipped To NJ Schools (See Full List)

The products that went to the impacted schools were not part of USDA’s National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, the agency noted.

In addition to schools, the products were also sent to restaurants and other institutions. No illnesses or adverse reactions have been reported, the USDA said in its initial alert.

The meat and poultry items being recalled were produced from May 31, 2024, to Oct. 8, 2024. See the full list of recalled products, plus labels, lot codes and use-by dates here.

NEWARK SCHOOLS

The USDA’s list included the following schools and locations in Newark:

• Crawford St Hs, 17 Crawford Street
• Downtown Es, 909 Broad Street
• Downtown Ms, 24 Maiden Lane
• Fairmount Heights Es, 308 South 9th Street
• Fairmount Heights Ms, 240 14th Avenue
• North Star Alexander Es B-3, 43 Alexander Street
• North Star Clinton Hill Ms, 600 Clinton Avenue
• North Star Lincoln Park Ele B4, 377 Washington Street
• North Star Lincoln Park Hs, 377 Washington Street
• North Star Vailsburg Es, 24 Hazelwood Avenue
• North Star Vailsburg Ms, 24 Hazelwood v
• North Star West Side Ms, 120 Livingston Street
• North Star West Side Park Es, 557 15th v
• UVSO Ivey Hill Preschool, 475-487 Irvington Avenue
• UVSO Palm St Daycare, 6 Palm Street
• UVSO Smith St Preschool, 179 Smith Street

A spokesperson for the Newark Public School District told Patch that none of the tainted meat products were delivered to its schools (none of the district’s facilities are on the above list).

Several of the above locations are campuses of North Star Academy charter schools, which are part of the national Uncommon Schools organization. A spokesperson said that North Star Academy schools did not receive any of the recalled items.

Others are affiliated with Great Oaks Legacy Charter School, which operates several facilities in Newark. A spokesperson said its facilities didn't receive any of the recalled items.

The final locations on the list are affiliated with Unified Vailsburg Services Organization (UVSO), a community-based nonprofit preschool provider for the Newark Board of Education. Patch reached out to UVSO seeking comment about the recall. We will update this article with any reply we receive.

WHAT IS LISTERIA?

According to the USDA, eating food contaminated with L. monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns. Less commonly, persons outside these risk groups are affected.

Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract. In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn. In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics. Persons in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell the health care provider about eating the contaminated food.

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