Over 2,000 Pounds of Ground Beef Recalled Due to Plastic Contamination—Here’s What You Should Know
It's currently classified as a Class II recall, which means "a health hazard situation where there is a remote probability of adverse health consequences from the use of the product."
Chicago-based meat processing giant Amity Packing Company Inc. just announced that it is recalling approximately 2,020 pounds of raw ground beef products over the presence of clear, thin, pliable plastic, says the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
The potentially contaminated beef was produced on January 6, 2020 and has a use by/freeze by date of January 31, 2020. All recalled products come in one-pound vacuum-packed packages labeled “Pre 95% LEAN/5% FAT GROUND BEEF” with lot code 0060 and case code 11402. Look for the establishment number “EST. 6916” printed on the right, front-hand side of the packaging.
The ground beef was shipped to retail locations in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Images of the items being recalled can be found here.
The issue was realized when two consumers reported that they had discovered pieces of clear plastic in their raw meat.
Luckily, there have been zero confirmed reports of sickness or injury caused by the contaminated meat at this time. Nevertheless, the FSIS and Amity Packing Co. are both concerned that some product is still sitting in consumers’ fridges and/or freezers. “Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them,” says the USDA’s report. “These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.”
RELATED: 6 Popular Apple Varieties Are Being Recalled Over Potential Listeria Contamination
Consumers with questions about this product recall can contact Pre Brands LLC. at 1-844-773-3663, and consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or live chat via Ask USDA from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday.
You can also browse food safety messages at Ask USDA or send a question via email to MPHotline@usda.gov. For those that would like to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day here.
RELATED: This is the Ingredient Most Likely To Give You Food Poisoning, Says a New CDC Report
