A North Carolina producer of raw beef, pork and goat is recalling tons of its products because they are unsafe to eat.
On Tuesday, Sept. 22, Star Meat Delivery based in Lucama, North Carolina, announced a recall of more than 80 tons, or 167,639 pounds, of meat.
According to the recall,
the products were not federally inspected as required by law. The meat products also had a fake establishment number stamped on them.On the recall list are raw beef, pork and goat items, including beef chuck, oxtail, pork chorizo, pork feet and goat cuts distributed in bulk. These products are individually vacuum-packed, packed in cardboard boxes and distributed nationwide by A&D Foods in Georgia.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service
said the labels bear a “false USDA mark of inspection.”
“Any product bearing the false establishment number “EST. 1363” should be considered misbranded and unsafe to eat,” the recall states.
The government discovered the problem during surveillance activities, the department said.
Federal law requires commercially sold meat be inspected and passed “to ensure that it is safe, wholesome, and properly labeled,” by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.
This recall is listed as a Class I recall, or high or medium risk, by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“This is a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death,” according to the Food Safety Inspection Service.
Foods produced without inspection pose a safety risk, the agency says. These products may contain undeclared allergens, harmful bacteria, or may have other contaminants that put consumer health and safety at risk.
There have been no confirmed illnesses or injuries related to consuming these products. Anyone concerned about an illness or injury should contact a healthcare provider.
The concern, the agency says, is that some products may be in the refrigerators or freezers of consumers, restaurants or retailers.
Produced on various dates before Sept. 22, Star Meat Delivery products were packed into cardboard boxes for shipment. Consumer products may not have the same labeling because individual packages at retail stores may have “applied their own stickers with pricing and safe handling instructions,” the notice says.
The recalled products should be tossed out or returned to the place of purchase.
Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @SusanMariecooks. Subscribe to the Eat Drink Freep newsletter for insider scoops on food and dining in metro Detroit.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Massive meat recall issued for unsafe beef, pork and goat products
