Burgers Recalled In 5 States Over Listeria Contamination Risk

If you've purchased a burger from Dakota Tom's Sandwiches in recent months, you may want to consider tossing it. Right on the heels of a possible listeria-induced frozen waffle recall and a Lactaid recall amongst others, the Corsica, South Dakota-based establishment issued a voluntary recall on October 18, 2024 for three of its sandwiches. According to an announcement from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the products in question are the pepperjack cheeseburger, bacon cheeseburger, and the Gambler, a sandwich made with ham, bacon, American cheese, and barbecue sauce.

All three of these menu items deployed a burger patty from a third-party supplier, BrucePac, which might be contaminated with listeria. And even if you didn't travel to South Dakota or visit Dakota Tom's in person, you may want to double check your recent sandwich purchases. Not only are the potentially contaminated burgers sold in-store but they're also distributed to grocery stores, convenience stores, and other locations in South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wyoming. If you did purchase one, check for a best by date that falls between September 1, 2024 and November 23, 2024, and avoid eating affected items.

Thankfully, as of October 18, Dakota Tom's has yet to receive reports of illnesses from its burgers. However, because a BrucePac facility was impacted by a listeria outbreak, you'll want to either return your purchase to the store for a full refund or just toss it out. Aside from the best buy dates, you can also check your burger for the following labels: UPC 737296806008 for the pepperjack cheeseburger, UPC 737296601788 for the Gambler, and UPC 3729680300 for the bacon cheeseburger. If you have any further questions about the outbreak, Dakota Tom's recommends calling 605-946-5123.

Despite Dakota Tom's only recalling a select few items, BrucePac recalled over 11 million pounds of meat and poultry products in October following a routine test conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). As of October 9, the FSIS stated that no accounts of listeria had been reported. However, the recalled items were found in major grocery stores like Trader Joe's, Wegmans, and Giant Eagle, as well as some restaurants and schools. For a detailed list of all the products that may have been affected, go to the FSIS's distribution list to double check your recent purchases.