Bacon Recall 2025: What Most People Get Wrong About Oscar Mayer and Listeria

If you’re anything like me, Sunday morning isn’t complete without that sizzle in the pan. But lately, the news has been a bit of a buzzkill for breakfast lovers. Specifically, the bacon recall 2025 news that hit the wires recently. It’s enough to make you stare at your fridge with a lot of suspicion.

Honestly, it’s kinda scary when a staple like turkey bacon gets flagged by the feds.

We aren't talking about a few bad packs here. We are talking about nearly 368,000 pounds of meat. That is a massive amount of food. Kraft Heinz Foods Company had to pull a huge chunk of their Oscar Mayer turkey bacon off the shelves because of a potential run-in with Listeria monocytogenes.

The Dirty Details of the Kraft Heinz Recall

So, what really happened? On July 2, 2025, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) dropped the hammer. They announced that a South Carolina establishment—the Newberry plant—produced a mountain of fully cooked turkey bacon that might be contaminated.

The weird part? The company actually found the problem themselves during internal lab testing. No one had even reported getting sick yet.

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Which specific packs are we looking for?

You’ve gotta check the UPC codes and those tiny "use by" dates. Most of the affected stuff was produced between April 24, 2025, and June 11, 2025.

• 12-oz Oscar Mayer Turkey Bacon Original: Look for UPC 071871548601 and lot code RS40. The "use by" dates are between July 18 and August 2, 2025.
• 36-oz triple packs: UPC 071871548748. These have a longer tail, with "use by" dates stretching all the way to September 4, 2025. Lot codes: RS19, RS40, or RS42.
• 48-oz four-packs: UPC 071871548793. Same lot codes and September 4 expiration window as the triple packs.

It wasn't just US grocery stores, either. This stuff made its way to the British Virgin Islands and even Hong Kong.

Why Listeria is Actually a Big Deal

Look, I know we hear about recalls all the time. Sometimes it’s just a "mislabeling" thing where they forgot to mention there’s milk in the crackers. But Listeria is a different beast.

It’s a hardy bacteria. It loves cold, damp places—basically, it thinks your refrigerator is a five-star hotel.

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For most healthy people, it might just mean a really bad afternoon in the bathroom. But for pregnant women, the elderly, or anyone with a wonky immune system, it’s dangerous. We’re talking about a risk of miscarriages or life-threatening infections.

The symptoms are also super sneaky. You might feel fine today, eat the bacon, and not get hit with the fever or stiff neck for two months. It has a ridiculously long incubation period.

It Wasn't Just One Brand

While Oscar Mayer took the biggest hit, the bacon recall 2025 umbrella actually caught a few other products earlier in the year.

Back in May 2025, there was a separate alert for Chicken Bacon Ranch Wraps. These were sold at Big Y and Price Chopper locations. They were also flagged for Listeria. It seems like 2025 has been a particularly rough year for meat processing safety.

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Even popcorn fans got swept up in this. In January 2025, Wabash Valley Farms had to recall their Bacon Flavor Popcorn Seasoning. That one wasn't about bacteria, though—it was because they forgot to list soy on the label. If you have a soy allergy, that "oops" is a trip to the ER.

How to Handle a Recalled Pack in Your Kitchen

If you find one of those RS40 lot codes in your meat drawer, don't just toss it in the bin and call it a day.

• Do not open it. If it’s already open, stop eating it immediately.
• Sanitize everything. If that pack sat on your fridge shelf, wipe that shelf down with a diluted bleach solution. Listeria can spread to your lettuce or your cheese just by hanging out nearby.
• Get your money back. You don't have to just eat the loss. Take it back to the store, or call Kraft Heinz at 1-800-280-7185. They are usually pretty good about issuing refunds for this kind of thing.

What if you already ate it?

Don't panic. If you aren't feeling sick, you’re likely okay, but keep a mental note of the date. Since symptoms can take up to 70 days to show up, just be aware if you suddenly get a high fever or a wicked headache in a few weeks.

Moving Forward Safely

Food safety is sort of a "trust but verify" situation. The USDA does a decent job, but they can't be in every plant every second.

The best thing you can do is sign up for USDA FSIS email alerts. They send out a notification the second a recall is finalized. It’s way better than finding out through a random social media post three weeks after you’ve already finished the pack.

Your Action Plan

1. Check your freezer. Fully cooked bacon lasts a long time. You might have a "September 4" pack buried under the frozen peas.
2. Verify the numbers. Match the UPC and the lot code (RS19, RS40, or RS42).
3. Clean your fridge. Use hot soapy water followed by a sanitizer if you had a suspect package.
4. Watch for symptoms. If you fall into a high-risk group (pregnant, 65+, or immunocompromised), talk to your doctor if you know you consumed the recalled Oscar Mayer turkey bacon.

The 2025 bacon recall is a reminder that even the biggest brands have bad days. Stay vigilant, keep your kitchen clean, and maybe double-check that "use by" date one more time before you start the stove.