FSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Raw Ground Beef Products Due to Foreign Material Contamination - 5/17/22
WASHINGTON, May 11, 2022 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for raw ground beef products due to concerns that the ground beef may contain hard plastic. A recall was not requested because the products are no longer available for purchase.
The ground beef products were produced on April 20, 2022. The following products are subject to the public health alert [view labels]:
- 16-oz. vacuum-sealed packages containing “ORGANIC RANCHER ORGANIC GROUND BEEF 93% LEAN 7% FAT” with a use by date of 5-18-2022.
- 16-oz. vacuum-sealed packages containing “ORGANIC RANCHER ORGANIC GROUND BEEF 85% LEAN 15% FAT” with a use by date of 5-18-2022.
The products bear establishment number “EST. 4027” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to Whole Foods locations nationwide.
The problem was discovered after the firm received complaints from consumers reporting they found hard, rigid plastic in the ground beef products. The firm then notified FSIS of the issue.
There have been no confirmed reports of illness or adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a health care provider.
FSIS is concerned that the products may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
Members of the media with questions about the public health alert can contact Daniel Desautels, President of NPC Processing Inc., at ddesautels@npcprocessing.com. Consumers with questions about the public health alert can contact Adam Bushell, Quality Assurance Manager at NPC Processing Inc., at adamb@npcprocessing.com.
______________________________________________________________________________
* We believe that none of the product being recalled were processed or offered through the national office
* We strongly encourage you to notify your agencies within one business day from receipt of this notice.
* ALL cased and uncased inventories, both at the member level and agency level, need to be checked. This product may have entered member and agency warehouses through salvage, local donations, TEFAP, local purchases, retail pickups, food drives, or other avenues.
* For additional local details, please contact the Health Department(s) for the area(s) your food bank serves.
_____________________________________________________________________________
About Feeding America Recall Notices
The Feeding America national office issues notifications of all national Class I and II recalls–those involving a health hazard situation in which there is reasonable probability that eating the food will cause health problems or death–and other recalls that may affect the safety of food supplied to network members.
The national office strongly encourages all member product solicitors, operations managers, and others involved in food and grocery distribution to regularly consult resources provided by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at http://www.fda.gov/opacom/7alerts.html, and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fsis_Recalls/index.asp. Additionally, members can often receive information on national, state, and local recalls by contacting their local health departments.
Feeding America National Office
Feeding America
35 E. Wacker Drive, Suite 2000
Chicago, IL 60601