The USDA Announced a Massive Recall on Raw Beef—Here’s How to Know If You Bought a Bad Batch
American Beef Packers, Inc. recently recalled 25,000 pounds of beef deemed “unfit for human consumption” by the USDA. Read on for what you need to know.
The USDA released a statement on Saturday, August 31, reporting a massive recall of “approximately 24,428 pounds of raw beef products” by American Beef Packers, Inc. based in Chino, California. The nearly 12 tons of raw meat were deemed “unfit for human consumption” by the USDA.
By law, in order to be deemed safe for human consumption, all animal products must be inspected by the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) for potential disease and contamination.
In this case, FSIS inspection personnel found and retained a potentially contaminated sample for further analysis. The possibly “unfit” carcass in question was previously released in error and further processed into raw intact and non-intact beef products, which were then distributed in commerce.
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The possibly hazardous beef products were produced and packaged on August 21, 2019, and those products subject to recall bear the establishment number “EST. 34741” inside the USDA mark of inspection. According to the USDA statement, “these items were shipped to federal establishments in California and Oregon.”
Impacted beef products include several bulk-pack combo bins containing cuts of boneless beef, ribeye, sirloins, and tenderloin. A full list of the meat and meat products impacted by the recall can be found here, including specific images of product labels for further detail.
FSIS is mainly concerned some of these products are currently in shoppers’ refrigerators or freezers—or both. If think you’ve purchased any of these meat products, do not consume them—throw them out or return them to the place of purchase immediately.
While there are currently no confirmed reports of illness or other adverse reactions due to eating prospectively contaminated products, contact your doctor immediately if you are concerned about a relevant reaction affecting you or a family member.
Remember, we have a lot of control over our own likelihood of getting food poisoning. To stay savvy about food safety, check out this guide for all the ways to lower your risk of illness when shopping, storing, and cooking food at home.
In the meantime, consumers with questions and concerns about the recall are being directed to Kari Godbey Houchens, the regulatory manager at American Beef Packers, Inc.: (909) 628-4888, extension: 123.
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