US sees series of meat recalls
On Friday (6 March) it was announced that Texas business Rio Tex Wholesale was recalling approximately 58,180 pounds (lb) of ready-to-eat beef products that may be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes. The products include cooked beef taco filling, seasoned cooked beef barbacoa and beef carne guisada. The health risk was classified as ‘high’.
USDA said consumption of food contaminated with listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns.
The day before, the USDA announced the recalling of 50,953 lb of pork and beef products from Arizona’s Premier Distribution Center, Inc, due to misbranding. Frozen pork ribs and collars, and frozen beef loins, chuck short ribs, shanks, and other cuts were all subject to the recall.
The USDA said a problem was discovered when an FSIS inspector noticed that some of the inspection labels had been photocopied, and a pursuant investigation discovered that some of the labels had been applied without the presence of a USDA inspector. An investigation is ongoing.
Elsewhere, Seattle’s Bavarian Meats recalled its pork and veal Brand Loaf, due to the undeclared presence of the allergen soy. The USDA explained: "The product contains soy lecithin, which is used as a releasing agent when baking and was not declared on the finished product label. The product, which is a lunch meat containing pork and veal, is prepared and placed in loaf pans for baking. The releasing agent is used to coat the loaf pans prior to adding the product."
Finally, Campos Foods from Tennessee also recalled approximately 126,705 lb of beef products due to misbranding and undeclared allergens. An FSIS inspector became aware that burger products contain the undeclared allergen wheat.
